Guide You Home - The Minimum Arc
by GatewaysToInfinity
Summary: In the region of Latuca, young boy Charlie loses his father at a young age and is forced to live in an orphanage. There he meets Kiara, a young girl who has lived there since near-birth. The two become fast friends, but after pressures from inside their home force them to run away, what kind of lives await these two children in the wilderness, especially in the world of Pokémon?
1. Prologue

**_In the region of Latuca, young boy Charlie loses his father at a young age and is forced to live in an orphanage. There he meets Kiara, a young girl who has lived there since near-birth. The two become fast friends, but after pressures from inside their home force them to run away, what kind of lives await these two children in the wilderness, especially in the world of Pokémon? _**

* * *

"Daddy?" a young boy crouched on the bed of his sickly father. He looked to be no older than six, his cheeky face retaining a frown. The unnatural light of the hospital shone down on them eerily.

The older man did not respond. His breathing was shallow and his eyes were shut. The once strong, confident figure was no longer here. A different person was in his place in this hospital bed, strapped to IVs and a heart monitor. His breathing fogged up the mask that connected to his life support—the only thing keeping him alive at that moment.

To the boy, his father looked like he had gotten so much older in only a matter of weeks. He was so thin that he resembled a skeleton with skin, his veins bulging out throughout his arms, neck, and legs. The hair on his beard was graying, when it seemed like only yesterday it was a smooth brown color.

None of the doctors knew what was wrong with him or what had caused this strange disease. Even using Chansey's and Audino's powers did not help. What they did know was that there was nothing more they could do for him and soon the ill man would leave this world for the next.

"What about the boy? What shall we do with him?" one of the doctors was whispering to the others, trying not to let the child hear as they were still in the room after their latest exam on the boy's father.

"We don't have many options," sighed another. "His mother died during his birth and he has no other immediate family. We'll have to send him to the orphanage east of Columius Town."

The boy tried to ignore the words said behind him. All he wanted was to stay by his father's side. "C'mon Dad…You always told me how strong you were. This is nothing…Get better soon, please; I don't like this place," his voice quivered and he looked frightened as he glanced at his surroundings. Medical equipment was scattered across the room on the different gray-white furniture. He would've felt like he was in one of those black and white movies if it weren't for the blue-green clothing the nurses had put his father in.

The boy noticed the doctors leave the room, making it silent minus the heart monitor, its beeping slowly becoming less frequent. Shutting his eyes, the boy forced himself between his father's arm and side and curled up next to him to sleep by the one he looked up to for the last time.

_You wouldn't really leave me, would you?_

* * *

_****__Author's Note: This story has a very slow start, but does pick up at Chapter Six. Rated T for profanity in one of the later chapters. A list of the characters appearing in this arc can be found on my profile under "The Minimum Arc."  
_


	2. Chapter 1

"Alright Charlie, this is where you'll be staying as long as you'll be here with us. Make yourself comfortable, then come downstairs for breakfast," a middle aged woman nudged the young boy forward into a small bedroom. She didn't hesitate to quickly turn away, the click-clack of her heels echoing down the silent hall as she left Charlie alone in his new environment.

A few days back, his father had passed away and the doctors did just what they said they would do. The following day one of them was kind enough to take Charlie back home to grab as many belongings as he could carry. Once he had completed the process as slowly as possible, trying to soak in the last time he would see his home, the doctor drove him to the orphanage.

Now he was there, standing in the doorway of his new bedroom. The room was very small, the bunk bed in the corner taking up a fourth of the room. Taking a step inside, the wooden floor creaked, sounding much louder due to the silence. The floral wallpaper was peeling off and the smell of rotting wood filled the room. Next to the bunk bed was another door, which Charlie presumed was the closet. Opposite that side of the room, a large window that took up most of the wall let sunlight inside.

Charlie let out a small sigh. This wasn't his home. He missed his room, his kitchen, the nice carpeted floors, the warm fireplace; he missed everything, but most of all, he missed his father. Up until now he had been numb about the situation, but it seemed to be finally soaking in; this was reality and this was his home now.

Taking slow steps into the room, he headed towards the closet, dragging his small bag of belongings with him. The hinges creaked in the same manner the floor had as he opened the door. The inside of the closet had no shelves or compartments; it was almost identical to the room itself except smaller and darker.

"Hiya!" a high-pitched, upbeat voice suddenly sounded behind Charlie. The boy jumped and fell forwards into the closet, nearly scared out of his skin. Charlie could hear amused giggling as he fought to catch his breath.

"You're funny," the same voice spoke to him in a friendly matter. Rolling back around towards the person, he could finally make out who it was. Standing before him was a little girl, younger than he was judging by her size. She had black hair that went past her chest and vibrant violet eyes that looked merry. She stood with her hands behind her back, leaning in slightly as she gazed at Charlie.

"Wh-Who're you?" Charlie stammered, stumbling to his feet.

"My name's Kiara. I'm your new roommate," the young girl curtsied before continuing. "What's your name kid?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Uh…It's…" he paused for a moment. He didn't want to give Kiara his real name. Somehow it felt special, like something he and his father should share. It was then he recalled the nickname his father had given him. He would always call Charlie his "brave little wolf." Blinking, Charlie finally replied after a long pause. "Wolf. My name's Wolf."

Not much to his surprise, Kiara raised a brow at that. "Wolf huh? Well that's an interesting name," she inquired, but soon her expression went back to merry. "Well it's nice to meet you Wolf! I hope we become good friends. C'mon, let's get down to breakfast and then I can help you unpack," without waiting for a response Kiara grabbed Wolf's wrist and dragged him out of the room and down the hall.

The boy didn't really like the idea of being dragged but he said nothing as he tried to keep up with Kiara. Gazing around, he saw many rooms identical to his. He felt overwhelmed by the size of the building. _Do so many children not have families?_

Kiara continued to lead him down the stairs and past the main entrance. Soon the sound of many voices could be heard and it grew louder as the two got closer to two large heavy doors. Kiara then let go of Wolf's wrist and pushed against the door, grunting with effort as she slowly but surely pushed it open. With that the sound barrier was broken and the jumbled voices were deafening as Kiara struggled to keep the door open. "C'mon in Wolf!"

Wolf looked hesitant as he took slow steps towards the noisy room. Peeking inside, he saw many different children of varying ages and appearances, all talking to their friends while eating breakfast on foam trays.

Once Wolf was all the way inside, Kiara let go of the door, causing it to slam loudly, though hardly anyone noticed because of the noise level of the room. "Follow me," Kiara called Wolf's attention as she walked towards a rack with trays.

Wolf followed close behind, mimicking her actions in hopes to not embarrass himself in front of so many children. Casting a glance behind him, he noticed Ms. Martin, the woman who had escorted him to his room not long ago, was patrolling around the tables along with some other adults. When he looked back towards Kiara, the girl was putting a small milk carton on her tray and was about to reach for a packet of fruit tarts. It was then he realized how meager the food options were. Grabbing a tray, he picked up the same things Kiara had chosen and put them on his tray.

"Oran berries are my favorite," Kiara mentioned as she grabbed one out of the pile of assorted fruits in a clear container.

Wolf simply picked up a random fruit and swiftly followed after Kiara. She led him away from all the chaotic chatter towards a table at the back of the cafeteria that was empty. Together the two sat as far away from the others as they could. "Don't you have any friends to sit by?" Wolf asked as he opened the carton of milk once he was situated.

"Not really. They're all really annoying and say dumb things," Kiara murmured as she opened up the wrapper that held the fruit tarts.

"Oh," Wolf replied, taking a sip of milk quietly. After a moment of silence he asked, "Where's your parents?"

"Where's anyone's parents? I don't got any," her voice was muffled as she chewed. Swallowing, she continued. "Ms. Martin told me she found me as a nearly new born baby on the doorstep, no note, nothing."

"Wow…" was all Wolf could say as he stared down at his tray, awestruck for a moment. He couldn't even imagine not knowing who his parents were. "Do you ever wonder about them?"

"Sometimes. Most of the time though I just hope they put me here for a reason and not just because they wanted nothing to do with me," Kiara shrugged in response. She paused for a moment before taking a sip of her milk. "But it doesn't matter now. I just know a family is gonna adopt me some day, no matter how long it takes," she sounded like she had a forced determination, though her expression swiftly changed to curiosity as if she were trying to change the subject. "How old are you?"

"Six. What about you?"

"I'm five, though sometimes I think I'm more mature than the big kids!" Kiara laughed in amusement, gazing over at a table that was full of ten year olds. "They'll be heading over to Columius Town in a few weeks to get their starters," she explained, slightly envious.

"Wow, they must be excited. I can't wait to get my own Pokémon! I already know which starter I'll get; Treecko," Wolf's eyes were also staring at the group, sparking with his own excitement for the future.

"I hope I get a family before then. Once you get your Pokémon they give you some money and set you on your way to your journey," Kiara shivered at the thought.

"But wouldn't going on a journey be more fun? There'd be no rules, no responsibilities; you could do whatever you wanted!" Wolf blinked in surprise as he spoke.

Kiara sighed. "You don't get it. Pokémon are all around us. Even if I have to wait longer to get one, a family isn't as easy to find when you're an orphan cooped up with so many other orphans who all want families too."

Wolf looked down at his fruit tart as he tried to see the situation through Kiara's eyes. He couldn't no matter how hard he tried. _I don't want a new family…Dad's the only Dad I will accept, no one can ever replace him _

***

Wolf lay in his bed, curled up under the thin sheets. The room was dark but there was enough moonlight to make out the bottom of Kiara's mattress as well as the frame that held it. The boy had decided to take the bottom bunk so Kiara could keep the bunk she had been sleeping in since she'd been old enough to be in a bed.

Throughout the rest of the day Kiara had explained basic rules of how things worked in the orphanage, curfews, regulations, all of those things. After that the two were separated as they went to their daily classes, reunited at lunch and recess. Afterwards they played around the rest of the day until supper time. After supper, it turned out to be bath day in which everyone got bathed. All the children were in bed now and the silence of the building felt odd after a day full of noise.

Wolf stifled a sigh. _So this is the routine of my life now huh?_ he thought to himself, feeling slightly disappointed. _Kiara might be used to this, but all this same stuff everyday will get so boring for me…_

"Hey Wolf, you still awake?" Kiara's whisper sounded from above.

Wolf didn't respond and coughed a bit, hoping she would understand his signal.

"You can't sleep huh? Yeah, me neither…Hey, I know you might not like it here, but I'm really glad you're here. Somehow you seem different from all the other kids. I just know we're gonna be great friends…" there was a pause in her speech as she let out a yawn. "Hey…I think I can finally sleep now. Well, goodnight Wolf. See ya in the morning," after a moment of silence Wolf could hear the steady rhythm of Kiara's breathing as she fell asleep.

Wolf's eyes started to feel tired as well. _Maybe being here won't be all that bad, if I have a friend like Kiara. What do you think Dad? I bet you think Kiara's a nice girl too. Well, I'm kind of tired now too all of a sudden. Goodnight._


	3. Chapter 2

"There they go. Who knows if we'll ever see them again," Kiara murmured to Wolf as the two looked out the open window of their bedroom. Below them at the front of the building was the group of ten year olds from a few weeks back. They were now filing into a yellow bus, Ms. Martin standing by the entrance and checking names off a list as one by one they got inside. None of them seemed the slightest bit upset that they would never return to the orphanage.

Wolf blinked as he watched the scene. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, there was a warm breeze in the air, it seemed to be a good day to begin a journey into the unknown. Glancing at Kiara, he noticed her anxious expression as she watched the bus take off for Columius Town once everyone was on board. It wasn't hard to tell she was worried that would be her one day.

Over the course of the past few weeks, Wolf and Kiara had gotten closer as they repeated the same process every day. It was a typical lifestyle, but at least it was predictable. Finally the day had started off differently, though soon it would be time to head down to breakfast and continue the same routine.

Kiara let out a sigh as the hourly bell signaled their morning meal. "C'mon Wolf," was all she said as she reached out and pulled the window shut quietly. The girl then began to lead the way out of the room.

Wolf cast a longing glance outside at the path the bus vanished down. Despite what Kiara said, he didn't see anything better than leaving this boring place.

***

No moonlight glowed through window and into the bedroom that night. The distant roll of thunder crashed over their heads, followed by a flash of lightning. Wolf could see the faint outline of Kiara as she stood staring out the window, wearing the pink night gown all girls wore to bed. The scene was slightly eerie to watch.

"See," the girl spoke suddenly, her voice sounding dull and hushed. "If those trainers didn't make it to a Pokémon Center, they're stuck out at night in this storm, alone. They have no place to call home now. I bet when you think of a journey, you never consider the cons."

Wolf blinked as he thought. Kiara was right; not only he but everyone else would never think of the dangers of going on a journey with nowhere to turn back to. _I guess she has a point…But even knowing that, I still don't want someone to replace Dad…_ Yawning, the boy cast a glance at Kiara before curling up in his sheets and falling into a light sleep.

The loud crash of thunder awoke Wolf late at night. Blinking his eyes several times, he could see lightning flashing frequently outside, illuminating the darkness of the bedroom. He could hear the loud patter of the rain drops outside and the constant rumble of thunder. Another earsplitting crash echoed all around him. Suddenly he felt something bury itself in his chest and whimper. With the help of the lightning that followed, Wolf recognized Kiara curled up next to him.

"K-Kiara...? What are you doing?" Wolf's voice sounded tired and confused, as well as slightly startled to see the girl next to him.

After a moment of no response, Kiara pulled back and met her gaze with Wolf's. Her eyes were wide and terrified. "I can't sleep…The storm…" her voice shook and she yelped as another loud crash sounded, causing her to immediately bury her face into Wolf's chest.

"But Kiara…We'll get in trouble. You know it's against the rules to share beds," Wolf insisted lightly, not quite sure how to deal with this situation.

"I don't care," her voice was muffled as she remained buried in Wolf's upper torso. "Please Wolf, these are the only times I'll do this. All the times before you showed up I wouldn't get any sleep until the storm was gone. I can only sleep when I know there's someone next to me. Please let me stay," Kiara's voice quivered as she quietly pleaded.

Wolf let out a sigh of defeat. He didn't want to make his friend suffer like that. "Okay," he permitted and covered them both with his bed sheets. Recalling what his father would do to comfort him, he began to stroke the back of her head gently. This seemed to make Kiara less tense even as the thunder continued to crash around them. It was a long while until Wolf could finally hear the steady breathing of Kiara as she slept and with that he too went back to bed.

***

A week passed since the ten year olds had left the orphanage. For the first time since Wolf had arrived, the routine had changed. It had been announced the day before that a couple would be coming the next day to look for a child. Both Kiara and Wolf had fit the age group the couple wanted; ages four to six. Now the children were dashing around excitedly throughout the halls and bedrooms, Kiara among them, trying to look presentable for the adults that would arrive soon.

Wolf felt out of place among them. He seemed to be the only child that qualified that wasn't getting ready for this special event. Yet again he refused to believe anyone should ever replace his father. It was much too soon in his mind. Sighing inwardly, he sat on his bed and watched as Kiara paced around the room in a violet dress she had picked out from the wardrobe all the girls shared.

"Oh, this is so exciting! I may get a family today! Oh, I hope I look okay…Do I look okay Wolf?" she paused her pacing for a moment to look at her friend anxiously, but before he could respond she continued. "There are so many other children here that meet their standards…If they pick me it'd be luck," she muttered, plopping down on her bum in the center of their room.

"Oh, c'mon now, I think you have a fair shot. Besides, who could resist a cute little girl like you?" Wolf insisted with a friendly smile.

Kiara's face lit up at this and she swiftly jumped to her feet. She scampered over and embraced Wolf. "Thanks," she smiled, pulling away. At that moment she turned to see all the other boys and girls suddenly hurrying down the halls in a horde of small bodies. "They must be here! Let's go!" without waiting for a reply she grabbed his wrist and hurried on after the others to the stairs.

Wolf was already used to being dragged around the building by his friend so he let her lead the way without complaint. As the two went down the stairs, Wolf could see the main entrance. Through the glass on the door he could make out Ms. Martin speaking with a man and a woman, whose backs were facing the door. Inside, the other children were gathered around, anticipating the couple's entrance. An old woman whom Wolf had never seen before, wearing a black and white robe and headdress, was telling them all to line up in an orderly fashion.

Kiara and Wolf weren't acknowledged by the woman as they squeezed themselves into the line with the others.

Wolf heard excited whispers around him, making him wish he could share their excitement. He just couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't right. With a glance at Kiara, Wolf suddenly wondered what he would do if she got adopted. Would he end up all alone? The thought lingered at the back of his mind, suddenly making him feel anxious.

Kiara didn't seem to be paying attention to anything else besides the couple, who was finally coming inside. At that moment all the children immediately stopped talking and stared up at them intently.

"Ms. Martin, if I may have a word with you please," the woman in the robe beckoned her away from the area, her voice cracked with age. Wolf assumed she must be even older than he thought.

Ms. Martin nodded in response before turning to the couple. "Excuse me for one moment. Please feel free to look at the children," she outstretched her arm to the line before bowing and walking away, her heels clicking as they always did.

Left alone, the couple's eyes wandered about the children. They began murmuring to each other and making eye gestures at certain children and nodding or shaking their heads. It was unclear to Wolf what they might be thinking.

Finally the couple stepped forward the woman taking the lead as they made their way towards Kiara. The young girl's eyes were brimming with excitement and disbelief as she fought to keep a calm composure.

The woman knelt down in front of Kiara, her eyes friendly and welcoming. "Hello dear. What's your name?"

"My name's Kiara, please to meet you," she responded politely, curtsying after she did so.

The man knelt down next to the woman, the two smiling at one another for a brief moment. "You know, you're a very pretty young lady. That's a very nice dress you have, it compliments your eyes," the man told her sincerely.

"T-Thank you very much sir!" Kiara's smile was wide with happiness. Gulping, she forced herself to talk to them first. "What are your names?"

Before either could reply, the sound of angry footsteps sounded towards them and suddenly Kiara was tugged away from the couple violently. "Get away from them you vermin!" it was the elder from just moments earlier. She was staring down at Kiara in pure disgust. Turning to the couple who nearly fell back as they were startled by the sudden outburst, the old woman bowed in apology. "Don't bother with that one," she started and added more quietly, "She has bad blood. I received an omen that anyone who interacts with her is doomed with a terrible fate."

Wolf couldn't believe what he was hearing. _Kiara would never be something like that! That lady is crazy!_ he thought to himself angrily as he watched the old woman shoo the couple towards the other children in line. Turning, he spotted Kiara sitting on the floor, scared and confused. Her previous delight had vanished and now she looked lost, as if she didn't know what to do with herself anymore. Wolf walked over to his friend and helped her to her feet.

Kiara numbly went along with what Wolf motioned her to do. She now looked frozen with bewilderment at what had just occurred, staring blankly into the distance.

Wolf wished there was something he could say to comfort her, but no words came to mind. Instead he just took her hand and led her away from the scene, glancing back to see the couple reluctantly drawing their attention away from Kiara and towards the other children.

The couple had ended up leaving that day without adopting anyone. This had soured the mood for the rest of the day for all the younger children.

Wolf was walking back to his room quietly, having just finished his bath. Letting out a yawn, he folded back the sleeves of his blue pajamas and walked to the door of his room. It creaked as it always did as he pushed it open. Upon entering he saw Kiara curled up in his bunk. He knew well enough there wasn't going to be a storm that night, but it didn't seem to matter. Either way, Kiara didn't feel well, and Wolf wasn't about to kick her out of his bed, despite the rules. Shutting the door, he walked over to the bunk and got under the covers, wrapping himself and Kiara up. He wanted to find some form of comfort for the young girl, but all he could do was hug her until she fell asleep. He ended up falling into slumber first, Kiara's quiet crying echoing through his ears that night.


	4. Chapter 3

A month had come and passed since the day the couple had arrived. The strange woman, who Ms. Martin has introduced as Head Sister, had decided to stay at the orphanage permanently to keep a watchful eye on Kiara. She and Ms. Martin had done all they could seclude the young girl from the others. Kiara was forced to eat outside if it wasn't raining or snowing, to sit in the back of the classrooms and not to speak to the other children, to remain inside a classroom and study alone during playtime, and finally to only bathe once everyone else had gone to bed. Luckily she hadn't been moved to a different bedroom, so Wolf could still see his friend in the night and morning despite these new regulations against her.

However, today, Wolf finally had enough. He hated seeing her being treated in such a manner, like she had some contagious disease, or even worse, like a rabid animal that needed to be trained in isolation. It was infuriating to watch. At breakfast, just as Head Sister was escorting Kiara to the door, Wolf blocked their path. "Kiara isn't going out there today. I won't let you take her," he said sternly, a grim expression on his face.

Much to Wolf's surprise, Head Sister wasn't at all upset and simply sighed sympathetically. "Go on outside without me," she ordered Kiara and when the young girl hesitated, Head Sister whacked her in the back with the ruler she held in her hand.

Casting a swift glance at Wolf, Kiara stumbled away with her tray quietly.

"Come with me," was all Head Sister said once she was sure Kiara had done as she was told.

Wolf reluctantly followed, disappointed that not only did Kiara still have to eat outside but now he probably got himself in trouble in vain.

The two didn't say a word as Head Sister led the way to the back courtyard where the children could go and play in the afternoon provided the weather was decent. Wolf recalled how not too long ago he and Kiara would play out there without a care in the world. Kiara hadn't been able to have that pleasure for a month, making Wolf certain he did the right thing by stopping them earlier. Drawing his attention back to his surroundings, he stepped through the door as Head Sister opened it for them. He turned around to face the building, seeing the elder shut the door behind them.

Head Sister simply sighed yet again as she gazed at their surroundings. "Beautiful day, isn't it? The Lord has certainly blessed us," the old woman smiled casually, lifting her wrinkly palm up to catch a stray dandelion and release it back into the cool breeze ruffling past them.

Wolf watched her silently, not responding to her attempt at casual conversation. In fact, it only made his fury grow that she thought she could attempt to be friendly. He would never be kind to her after all he'd seen her do to his only friend in this orphanage.

There was silence between the two once again several moments after that. Finally after what felt like ages, Head Sister finally spoke up in a more serious tone. "I understand it must be hard, having to share a room with it. Unfortunately there are no other spare rooms currently, so you're just going to have to resist its devilish tricks to make you think it's kind and human."

"'It' is a she, and her name's Kiara. She doesn't trick me or anyone; in fact she's the nicest person I've met here! It isn't right for you to treat her like she's so different! She's just a little girl!" Wolf snapped in obvious fury, unable to contain his true feelings any longer.

"You poor thing, I see it's already manipulated your heart," Head Sister shook her head in pity. "You're young, so it's easy for you to believe anything you hear. However, what I am about to tell you is the correct belief. Being who I am, I have a strong connection with our Lord. He loves all his children and wants nothing more than to protect them from the evil around them," Head Sister started, but was immediately interrupted.

"If that were true you wouldn't be treating Kiara that way! She's just as much a child as the rest of us and deserves to be loved too," Wolf countered.

"You don't understand; it is not one of us. He has sent me an omen, a dead violet in my garden caused the other beautiful flowers to wilt as well. It is a sign dear boy," Head Sister suddenly looked desperately urgent and distant at the same time. Her pale eyes were wide and had a ghostly look to them.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard! Some imaginary figure you think exists made some flowers die and it means we should treat Kiara differently? Flowers die—big deal! It happens all the time. You're just crazy! That stupid 'Lord' of yours doesn't exist, because if he did, he would love us all, despite the many differences or faults!" Wolf had started crying in his frustration as he snapped at Head Sister, not caring a bit that she was older and, according to Ms. Martin, should be spoken to with respect. "I hate you!"

"Oh dear boy…There is nothing I can do to sway your beliefs…I shall only hope the Lord will spare you from too much pain as a result of staying with that demon…" Head Sister kept shaking her head in defeat, her eyes full of sorrow and pity.

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Wolf wailed, covering his ears and shaking his head vigorously. He sprinted back to the door and slammed it behind him as he reentered the building. His vision was blurred by his tears, so he wiped them away, trying to find the main entrance. Kiara was out there and he had to see her. Stumbling over, he made his way towards the two large doors. He was still sniffling as he reached them and opened them slowly, thankful that the door was still unlocked.

As he walked outside, he noticed Kiara wasn't around. It didn't surprise him much. Why would they want to make it obvious they're making one of their children eat outside alone? Wolf sniffed, rubbing the tears from his cheek onto his sleeve. He didn't dare call out his friend's name; in case someone noticed he was outside and ordered him back in. Wolf simply gazed around, thinking of the possible locations Kiara could be. He went with his gut and decided to go west of the entrance, hoping Kiara would be somewhere along the side eating her breakfast. "Kiara?" he called out quietly so no one inside could hear him. Suddenly he heard a rustle in the bushes against the orphanage and froze. Turning, he blinked with relief as he saw Kiara push through the foliage.

The young girl was staring at Wolf with a stunned expression. "Are you okay?" she asked after a moment, sounding concerned.

Wolf realized at that moment how he must appear to his friend. His eyes were most likely red from crying and his cheeks were probably stained with tears. Seeing Kiara look so concerned for him despite her current situation made Wolf lose it. A little girl with such a kind heart was being treated so poorly and he hated it down to his very core. He dashed up to her and embraced her tightly, sobbing. He buried his face in her shoulder, not caring about anything else going on around him anymore.

Kiara was confused as she was embraced by her friend. She slowly wrapped her arms around his torso in return after a moment. Hearing Wolf cry seemed to have made her upset as well as she also began crying quietly, burying her face in Wolf's shoulder just as he had done to her.

Time seemed to stop as the two remained outside, holding each other for comfort. They eventually ended up kneeling on the grass as their legs buckled underneath them simultaneously. No one came looking for them as they remained out there for who knows how long, becoming closer than they ever had before.

"What types are strong against Psychic?" Kiara asked Wolf, gazing down at one of the many textbooks scattered around her where she sat on the floor of their bedroom.

"Ghost, Dark, and Bug," Wolf answered almost instantly.

Over the past few days Wolf and Kiara had made the decision to stay away from the others. They had gone to their classrooms during the night and collected their supplies so they could continue to study together. They would bathe in the morning instead of the evening to avoid any confrontations in the bathrooms. However, at first they had no idea what they would do for food, but the lunch lady began bringing them both meals once all the other children were done eating. Finally, during play time, Kiara and Wolf had taken some of the toys from the toy box and kept them in their room. In that time they would pretend to have Pokémon battles with the toys. Not only did it help them remember their studies but it was fun for the two to pretend to battle.

"Good job," Kiara praised as she nodded, indicating that Wolf had answered correctly.

Wolf smiled happily. Now everything was even simpler than before, but at least they were both in good moods and feeling peaceful. He hoped more than anything else though that he didn't get bored of this routine too quickly. Shoving the thought to the back of his head, he continued his study session with Kiara. "Alright, my turn…" he trailed off as he scanned his textbook for a question to ask his friend.

At that moment a quiet knock at the door interrupted them. It was followed by the sound of something being placed on the ground, and soon after that, fading footsteps.

"Oh, it must be two o'clock already. Today went by fast," Kiara murmured, placing her textbook to the side and rising to her feet, heading over to the door.

Wolf copied her actions and followed after her. It still surprised him that the lunch lady went out of her way to feed them both, coming back later to retrieve their garbage as well. _I bet Head Sister and Ms. Martin would've let us starve, _he thought scornfully.

By now Kiara had opened the door and was waiting patiently for Wolf to grab one of the trays before getting her own.

Wolf bent down and picked up one of the trays, rushing back carefully and putting it down where he was sitting. He then went back to close the door behind Kiara since her hands were busy carrying her own tray.

Together the two went back to their spots on the floor. Wolf was about to dig into his meal when Kiara stopped him.

"Hey, wait. I have something for you," Kiara said suddenly, dashing over to the ladder that led to her bunk and climbing up it. She began digging inside her pillow case upon reaching her bunk. She then paused and gazed down at Wolf, her eyes sparkling. "Close your eyes!"

Wolf blinked in confusion but obeyed his friend's request. He could hear her climbing back down and landing on the floor. The sound of her footsteps got louder as she hurried towards him. He didn't know where exactly Kiara was, but he predicted she was somewhere behind him. Suddenly he felt something then wrap around his neck, causing him to flinch.

"Okay…Open!" Kiara permitted, excitement in her tone.

Wolf blinked his eyes open, turning to see Kiara standing behind him smiling widely. He noticed a piece of silver jewelry around her neck now. In the center seemed to be two hearts intertwined. This made him remember the feeling on his own neck. Gazing down, he spotted an identical necklace around his own neck. He hadn't seen anything like it since he had lived with his father. "Wow…Where did you get these?" he asked in awe.

Kiara looked down at her own necklace, playing with the chain with her fingertips. "Well…About a week back, when I was outside eating breakfast, I didn't pick up my garbage fast enough so Head Sister locked me out. While I was out there, I looked around and found these buried in some dirt. When she finally let me back in, I went to the bathroom and cleaned them up. At first I didn't know if I should show them to you, but now I know for sure. That's because you're my very best friend Wolf," she explained, wrapping her arms around his shoulders once finishing.

Wolf listened intently, blinking in surprise at Kiara's last sentence. Placing a hand on one of hers, he didn't hesitate in responding. "And you're mine too, Kiara," he said sincerely.

"And we'll always be friends forever, won't we?" the girl inquired hopefully.

"Yeah, forever," Wolf agreed certainly. No matter what happened, he'd always be there for Kiara, and he hoped she would do the same for him.


	5. Chapter 4

Wolf was gazing longingly outside his bedroom window. It had been a few weeks since he and his companion had begun their new routine, and now he was waiting for Kiara to return from her morning bath. Lean about the myths and legends of Pokémon. However, Wolf was beginning to feel antsy. It had been so long since he'd been outside, running through the cool grass and array of foliage, inhaling the fresh air of Latuca. He missed it desperately, but he knew that if he went outside, he wouldn't be able to get back in. Even with that in mind, he was considering doing it anyways.

The sound of footsteps drew Wolf's attention away from the window. He spotted the door to his bedroom slowly open as Kiara entered the room, returning from her bath. As she was closing the door behind her, Wolf noticed her hair was still damp, which didn't surprise him. The orphanage didn't have hair dryers and if it did neither would know how to use one.

"Breakfast here yet?" the young girl asked as she placed her pajamas in their closet.

Wolf shook his head, only realizing as he did so that his friend wasn't facing him. "Not yet," he answered, reluctantly pulling away from the window and walking to the center of the room. He clenched his fists in frustration at the thoughts rolling in his mind. Things he'd never thought would ever do were now things he desperately needed to do. The outside, it was calling him, opening its arms in welcome as it awaited his arrival. Without thinking, he began speaking. "Let's go."

"Huh?" Kiara blinked at Wolf in confusion, her head tilted as she stood in the doorway of the closet.

"Let's just…leave," Wolf was just as shocked as his friend at the words coming out of his mouth. "I hate being cooped up in here. Chances are we're gonna be stuck here until we're ten anyways, so why wait until then? I want to be free Kiara, and I can't have that when we're stuck in here all the time."

Kiara looked completely stunned, her eyes wide. "No Wolf…You've been very kind to me, staying up here with me in my exile…But you have a chance to get a family Wolf! I should leave, yes, but you have opportunities!" she insisted desperately, rushing forward and taking Wolf's hands in her own.

Wolf tugged away in frustration. "No, you don't understand," at that moment all his feelings about not wanting to replace his father flowed into words. He picked them carefully even then, however, not wanting to give away any information on what had happened to his father.

"I had no idea…" Kiara murmured in shock once Wolf had finished speaking. For a moment more she was silent, her fingers toying with the charm on her necklace. "Where do you even plan on going?" she asked suddenly.

"Anywhere. Anywhere but here. I feel…suffocated here," Wolf paused before continuing. "Think about how great it'll be Kiara! We'll have no rules, no responsibilities, a world full of wonder and surprises all around us! We'll never have that here if we stay," he insisted, willing his friend to understand.

Kiara gazed past Wolf to the window. She seemed to be deep in thought. After a moment she finally sighed. "I'll think about it," was all she said in response once she returned her gaze Wolf.

Before the boy could respond there was a knock on the door, interrupting their conversation. The lunch lady had arrived with their food.

Kiara and Wolf immediately headed over to the door. Together the two repeated the process they did with every meal until they were both sitting in the center of the room, their trays situated in front of them.

Wolf's mind whirled with the thoughts of the future. He hadn't expected to say all those things to Kiara, but once he started, he couldn't stop. Now he felt more certain than ever that he had to run away or he'd never feel happy. However, he knew he wouldn't be able to do it without Kiara. More than being free, he didn't want to be alone. Kiara was the only one he had, and he wanted her by his side during this change. Sighing, he gazed down at his meal. Realizing then he would probably need food for his departure, he began dividing his breakfast in half as best as he could.

"What are you doing?" Kiara asked, giving Wolf an inquiring look as she drank the applesauce that was on her tray a moment ago.

"I'm gonna need food in case I don't find any out there," Wolf murmured in response without looking up. There was no answer for a moment until Wolf felt something nudging him. Looking up, he saw Kiara handing him her unopened packet of fruit tarts.

"Let's just share your packet, and you can keep my closed one for the journey. If it's closed it'll last longer," Kiara mumbled.

Wolf stared at the packet for a moment before nodding and taking it from his friend. "Thanks," he blinked gratefully. Putting it to the side, he grabbed his own packet and opened it, keeping one fruit tart for himself and handing the other to Kiara.

"Thank you," the girl responded politely as she took the food and immediately began eating it.

Wolf ate his own quietly, lost in his thoughts. He wanted to get out of the orphanage as soon as possible, but he knew he should prepare. After all, he had no idea where he would end up. _I'll need to stock up on some more food…I should bring extra clothes in case it gets cold, and a raincoat for any snow or storms._ He began making a checklist in his mind of all the items he would need. Pausing from his thought, Wolf cast a glance at Kiara. What would he do about her? They could share the food, but the girl was practically in the orphanage since birth, meaning she had no previous belongings. _She could always use my clothes; it'd only be a bit loose on her, _Wolf nodded to himself at the idea. He would just have to pack all the clothes he owned for the both of them.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Kiara's voice jolted Wolf out of his thoughts. Looking up, he saw Kiara rising to her feet and heading over to the bedroom door.

Wolf watched the girl leave the room silently. Sighing, he leaned back onto the floor and stared at the ceiling. The future was so uncertain, yet he didn't seem scared. Whatever would happen, he felt things would work out. _What do you think Dad? I think I'm making the right choice…_ he received no answer to his question, causing him to sigh again. _Well if it were a bad choice, I bet you'd tell me. I'll just have to go with my gut on this one. _

***

It was late in the evening a few weeks later. The other children had just returned from their baths. Wolf and Kiara were in their room, the orange light of the evening sun pouring in through the window. Kiara sat quietly on the bottom bunk, watching as Wolf seemed to be checking off all his belongings in his mind.

_All my food and clothes are shoved in my backpack…Whatever didn't fit I'm wearing right now, _Wolf thought to himself, gazing at his strange attire. Layers of clothing were on his body to conserve some room in his bag.

In the end, the young boy had decided to go along with his plan. He had given himself some time to collect a decent amount of food, despite how he hated remaining in the orphanage. The day had finally come where he would leave this place. He had never felt surer of himself. Anxiety and excitement both mingled within him as the time of departure got ever closer. His plan was to head out at night, while everyone was asleep. Together, he and Kiara would keep walking as far away from the orphanage as possible. Wolf doubted anyone would come after them, but just to be safe, he wanted to put a good distance between themselves and their old home.

"You're really going, huh?" Kiara finally spoke, gazing down at the ground as she twirled the chain of her necklace with her pointer finger. Her eyes betrayed the emotion of loneliness.

Wolf turned to face his friend. The way she had worded that sentence made his eyes widen. Did she not plan on coming with him? It was true the young girl had been rather silent when Wolf talked about it, but for some reason he assumed that Kiara would be accompanying him. "Not without you," he said quickly, his voice firm.

Kiara looked surprised at that comment. After a moment of no response, the young girl suddenly rushed off the bed and towards Wolf. Upon reaching him she embraced him and buried her face in his chest. "Oh Wolf, I want to go with you, I really do, but I'm scared. We don't know what will happen to us if we leave…But you're the only person I have now and I don't want to lose you…" she whimpered into her friend's chest, her voice slightly muffled.

Wolf blinked down at his friend in surprise, but soon wrapped his arms around her in return. His gaze softened and he stroked the back of Kiara's head in comfort just as he had done the night of the storm. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. Yeah, we don't know for certain what'll happen to us, but we never really know, do we? At least with us leaving, we'll be shaping our own lives. Besides, whatever happens, I promise I'll look after you and keep us safe. That's what friends do, okay?" he promised, speaking in a true and sincere voice. He then pulled Kiara away from his chest so he could look her in the eyes.

The young girl's eyes were red and she was sniffling. However she looked more relaxed now, as though Wolf's words had made her nonchalant. Her eyes showed that she was still anxious, but she also looked determined and hopeful. She just gazed at him silently for a moment, sniffling in the process, until she nodded slowly. "Okay."


	6. Chapter 5

The eerie darkness of the night surrounded the two tiny companions. The trees of the ominous forest towered above them and the two scurried along faster at every little rustle in the leaves. Even as their eyes adjusted, it was pitch black out in this forest area. The only light they had were the array of stars above their heads, as well as the full moon, which was already past the midway point. It wouldn't be long before dawn arrived and the sun returned once more.

So far, Wolf's plan had been a success. They had trekked all night into unknown territory, leaving the orphanage far behind. At least, that's what Kiara hoped.

The young girl had followed Wolf the entire time, though she doubted he had a clear sense of direction in this condition, despite what he said. No one could possibly know where they were going in a dark forest they've never explored before. Nonetheless, Kiara was grateful for his reassurance.

Even in the predicament the duo was in, this was the least of Kiara's worries. She was more afraid of what would happen if they came in contact with a human. Not only might they try to take them back to the orphanage, but she was afraid of what they might say when they saw her.

Several months before Wolf had first arrived at the orphanage, Kiara had been taught by Head Sister that going outside would put her in danger. She was never allowed to go outside and play with the other children or interact with them. The truth was Kiara had kept this a secret from Wolf, lying to him about it in the lunchroom when they first met. The only reason she had been allowed to interact with him was because Ms. Martin had felt sorry for her and made Wolf Kiara's roommate behind Head Sister's back. The young girl had only just started playing and doing fun things when her friend had arrived at the orphanage. Shuddering as she trudged along next to Wolf, Kiara recalled what Head Sister had said to her not all that long ago.

"The world is cruel…The world is wicked…It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole region! I am your only friend…I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you! I who look upon you without fear…How can I protect you dear, unless you always stay in here, away in here? Remember what I've taught you Kiara…" Head Sister's voice rang in her mind as Kiara recalled the day she had asked if she could go outside. "You are deformed and you are ugly. These are crimes for which the world shows little pity. You don't seem to comprehend that out there they will revile you as a monster. Out there they will hate and scorn and jeer. Why invite their calumny and consternation? Stay in here, be faithful to me, grateful to me…Do as I say, obey, and stay in here…"

Kiara shook her head to clear it of the terrible thought. _She's wrong! After all, Wolf didn't think I was a monster! I'm gonna prove it, there will be people and Pokémon out there that will love me and be my friends and family…_ Blinking as she lifted her head up, Kiara noticed it wasn't as dark as before as morning drew ever nearer, though she wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not. Now whatever dangerous creatures lurking in the woods would become visible to their eyes. Clutching tighter to Wolf's arm, she warily glanced at him. "Do we still have to keep going? I'm really tired after all this walking," she whispered in exhaustion.

"Not yet. We have to keep moving until dawn, which isn't far off. Once it hits we can rest and eat," Wolf promised as he continued to lead the way forward.

"Okay…" Kiara sighed, reluctantly gazing at their morbid surroundings. She really wished that they had a map or something to show them where they were. They could've been walking in circles and are still near the orphanage or they could have wandered into hostile Pokémon territory. Shutting her eyes for a moment, she prayed they were somewhere that was decently safe.

The two continued to walk for a while yet in near silence, only hearing the sound of their own footsteps and the swaying of the trees in the early dawn breeze. A pale, milky pink was slowly overtaking the deep blue of the night sky, causing the many twinkling stars to fade one by one. The silence was a mixture of peaceful and eerie to their ears. At least if it was silent, Kiara thought, that meant they were alone.

Slowly the eeriness of the silence began to take over. Kiara felt a sensation of dread tingle up her spine after they entered a particular part of the woods. Something didn't feel right about the area they were in. "Wolf, maybe we should go a different—" the young girl whispered before her companion's hand covered her mouth swiftly. Kiara glanced at him in confusion before her eyes widened as they fell upon the reason Wolf had silenced her.

Scattered all around the duo were a pack of sleeping Zangoose. They seemed to be a small group, thought to two children with no Pokémon they were still just as dangerous.

"We're gonna have to cut through 'em," Wolf whispered into Kiara's ear. "We can't go back or we'll risk heading back in the direction of the orphanage. We gotta keep going straight."

Kiara's eyes widened at her friend's plan, though she knew he was right. They could get lost if they tried to take a different route and they couldn't go back after how far they'd come. Taking a closer look at the sleeping Zangoose, she saw there was enough room between them for herself and Wolf to step through. If they were careful enough, they could get out of this without disturbing the cat ferret Pokémon and move on. Taking a deep, quiet breath, she nodded to her companion. "Let's go," she whispered with all the determination and courage she could muster.

Wolf nodded in return before taking Kiara's hand in his own and beginning to lead the way through the furry bundles on the ground. It took quite a while to get through. Wolf considered every step before he made it, making sure not to even step on a leaf or twig. Kiara mimicked his every movement step for step in the process. The two would freeze in their tracks at every twitch or snort the Zangoose made in fear that they had done something to disturb their slumber.

After tiptoeing anxiously for what felt like ages, the two finally reached the edge of the pack. Quickening the pace, they did not fully relax until they felt they were a good distance away from the Pokémon. However, despite the studies the duo had done while in the orphanage, they did not realize that a Pokémon's senses were stronger than their own.

"Alright, I think we're good…" Wolf breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to face forward. "Let's get outta—ah!" The boy rushed right into a dead branch in their path and tripped over it, landing with a thud.

Kiara felt a chill run down her spine at the noises she heard back behind them. Hostile growls rumbled amongst the pack as slowly one by one they awoke, their red eyes falling upon the two children. Though she couldn't see her face at the moment, she knew it must've gone pale with fear. She stood frozen as slowly the Zangoose prowled closer and closer to them, their claws and fangs glinting in the early sunlight.

Wolf was back on his feet now, gazing frantically between the pack and Kiara. "Run!" he ordered to her and snatched her by the wrist, jolting her out of her stunned state.

Together the two ran as fast as they could, terrified and lost. They didn't even know which direction they were headed anymore; all they wanted to do was avoid their pursuers. However the Zangoose easily kept pace despite Kiara and Wolf originally being ahead of them.

_What are we going to do?! They're gonna catch up to us!_ Kiara wailed silently, her heart beating faster than ever from running as well as fear. She tried to use any energy she could muster to keep ahead of the cat ferret Pokémon, but she was exhausted after trekking all night and whatever energy was left faded rapidly. Luckily her adrenaline pushed her on, though she didn't think it would last long enough. They didn't even know where to go!

Wolf must've shared Kiara's anxieties, as he veered off the natural, more paved paths and headed deeper into the woods, leading and dragging Kiara behind him. The Zangoose continued to follow, not slowing down much even with the new obstacles in the way. However, they slowed just long enough for Wolf to pause and gaze around at their surroundings. Kiara noticed his panicked gaze abruptly brighten up as he suddenly continued to drag her through the dense forest.

Kiara followed after him as fast as she could so she wouldn't be dragged along. Suddenly she noticed where her friend was taking them. A few feet ahead stood a hollowed out tree, the perfect place to hide until the Zangoose gave up their search.

"Quick, climb in," Wolf commanded in a hushed tone once they reached the tree. He held out his hands to help his companion climb up.

Kiara nodded in return, grabbing her friend's hand as well as the edge of the hollow. She grunted as she heaved herself in with the help of Wolf. At that moment Kiara was thankful that he had let her use his clothing. Otherwise, with her normal skirts and dresses, her bare skin would've been slash up by the rough bark. Twisting around once she was inside, Kiara stretched out her hand to help Wolf inside.

The young boy scampered up as far as he could, making the last bit as Kiara pulled him in. Panting, he put a finger up to his lips, indicating for Kiara to be silent. Wolf then searched for the deepest area in the hollow and ducked down, tugging his companion down with him and holding her close to his chest.

Wolf's rapid heartbeat was all Kiara heard as she nuzzled close to him. Anxiety pricked down her spine and judging by Wolf's heartbeat Kiara assumed he felt the same. She took small, short breaths and didn't dare move a muscle. She strained to listen to the forest around them, searching for any signs of the Zangoose.

All was eerily silent, just as it had been their entire night's travels. Only the swaying of the trees in the dawn breeze could be heard at first, accompanied by the morning songs of the bird Pokémon as they awoke from their slumber. The peaceful atmosphere almost made Kiara think that the cat ferret Pokémon had given up their chase, until hostile growls could be heard in the distance. The serene atmosphere was broken as Kiara heard the pack rummaging through the undergrowth, their snarls getting closer and closer.

Kiara's nails dug into Wolf's arm as her anxiety grew with every pawstep around her. She was certain that the Zangoose were nearby the tree the two were sheltered in by how close they sounded. Kiara had to fight the urge to jump out of their cover and make a run for it, but if Wolf wasn't holding her down at that moment she might've done just that.

The young girl nearly yelped in fear as she heard claws meet wood as one of the Zangoose sniffed around the tree they hid in. Kiara wanted to shut her eyes and pretend she wasn't there, but she knew that wouldn't stop the Pokémon from finding them. There would be no escape as the pack attacked and probably ripped them apart. Kiara's eyes widened as they met with the red ones embodied in a white furry head covered in jagged red stripes. _We should've never left the orphanage!_


	7. Chapter 6

The Zangoose let out an alarm call to the others of its pack, catching their attention. Swiftly they gathered around the hollowed tree, triumph gleaming in their eyes.

"Get back!" Wolf snapped at them, shoving Kiara behind him.

The young girl appreciated her friend's courage, but she had already accepted.

the outcome of their situation. _This is our end…_ she thought in defeat. There was no way two children could take on a pack of wild Pokémon. Their hostility and triumph would only fuel their strength.

Suddenly a mighty roar paused all actions. The lead Zangoose, who had began reaching inside for Wolf, halted in confusion. The two children exchanged a gaze of bewilderment while the other Zangoose exchanged grunts of the same emotion. There was a long moment of silence, until the lead Pokémon shrugged off the noise and once again reached for the intruders.

Wolf was prepared to kick its paw away when something else did much more to stop it. Sunlight entered the hollow as the bodies blocking it out were knocked away violently. The Zangoose pack all let out yowls of fury and shock in the process. The cat ferret Pokémon abandoned their original target and were now attacking something outside.

Kiara heard their snarls and growls as the pack struck at their attacker. _This is our chance to get away! We're gonna live!_ she had never felt happier in her life. Scampering to sit up, she reached for the exit of the hollow before Wolf grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"Don't go anywhere!" The Zangoose are still out there!" Wolf snapped, though it was more full of fear than an actual order.

"But they're distracted with whatever they're fighting!" the young girl protested. "This might be our only chance to escape," she insisted.

Wolf opened his mouth to respond until he hesitated. His head turned towards the exit in confusion. Outside, the aggressive pack's snarls had transformed into whimpers. Sounds of paws scuffing undergrowth faded away as they fled from the scene.

Kiara's eyes widened in disbelief and curiosity. What creature lay out there that had the strength to scare off the entire pack? Tugging away from Wolf, who had loosened his grip in his shock, the young girl dared to peer outside.

There stood a tan, bulky body with its back facing the tree the two hid in. It was taller than the Zangoose and had fist-like paws unlike the dual claws the cat ferret Pokémon had. Kiara felt like the new Pokémon was familiar, but couldn't put her finger on it. She searched her mind back to her studies for any details that would tell her which Pokémon defeated the Zangoose pack. As the mighty creature turned sideways as it gazed around the clearing she noticed it bore an empty pouch on its lighter tan stomach. The name of the Pokémon finally hit her. _It's a Kangaskhan!_

Wolf had scampered up next to Kiara and was staring at the Kangaskhan with narrowed eyes. "It's stronger than a Zangoose, but slower. If we go now we can outrun it," he whispered.

Running away was the last thing on the girl's mind. Unlike with the Zangoose, Kiara recalled rather well what she had studied on this Pokémon. It was known as the "Parent Pokémon" and cared for its young in the pouch on its belly. However, this Kangaskhan's pouch was empty. Perhaps it had lost its baby and the reason it fought off the Zangoose was because it was looking for its young? Whether it meant to or not, this Pokémon had saved their lives. Kiara wanted to go out and thank the creature, so she hoped it was a Pokémon who was intelligent enough to understand human speech or at least gestures. The Kangaskhan might also have a soft spot for children because of its nature, Kiara thought positively. The young girl slowly climbed out of the hollow, Wolf following her lead, though she figured her friend thought she was attempting to escape unseen. As she began to make her way towards the Kangaskhan instead of away, Wolf swiftly grabbed her sleeve to hold her back.

"What are you doing? Let's go!" the boy snapped in a hushed tone, however the wild Pokémon mere feet away still heard his remark.

Slowly the large body turned to lay its eyes upon the two children, blinking with no sign of hostility. Instead it looked rather gentle, a smile appearing on its face. Suddenly, the Pokémon did something neither Wolf nor Kiara expected. It spoke. "Why hello there little ones," the voice that came out was feminine and soothing, matching the Kangaskhan's posture.

Kiara and Wolf shared the same stunned expression, staring wide-eyed at the Kangaskhan. The young girl was the first to speak, blinking several times and gulping. "Did…Did you just speak?" her tone was full of awe and disbelief.

The parent Pokémon chuckled and nodded. "I did my dear. Some Pokémon are born with the ability, like I was. What are you two doing out here on your own? Are your parents nearby?" she asked, turning her broad head to and fro.

Kiara hesitated sadly, not realizing until then that Pokémon might wonder the same thing a human would. She didn't think that this Kangaskhan would return them to the orphanage, however. She probably had never even heard of the place. "We don't got any…" she mumbled, receiving a hard nudge from Wolf for telling a stranger such personal information.

"No parents? Why that's awful! No wonder those Zangoose saw you as easy prey," she responded with a nod of understanding.

"You _knew_ that the Zangoose were chasing us?" Wolf suddenly put in suspiciously.

"How couldn't I? I'm sure the whole forest heard that entire ruckus so early in the day!" the Kangaskhan snorted. "The Zangoose don't normally make so much noise when hunting, so I knew something was wrong. As I got near I scented human and realized that they were hunting foreign prey."

"So you saved us!" Kiara interrupted with a wide grin. "Thank you sooo much! We would've been goners without you!" she thanked cheerfully, scampering up to the parent Pokémon and hugging her hind leg.

The Kangaskhan smiled down at Kiara warmly with a hint of longing in her gaze. She scooped up the young girl into her arms gently. "It was nothing dear. What are your names?" she asked with a tilt of her head, glancing at Wolf who was still staring at the Pokémon with narrowed eyes.

"I'm Kiara and that's my friend Wolf!" the young girl piped up in response. "Do you have a name?"

"What lovely names! You can just call me Kangaskhan dear," the Pokémon replied. "Where do you two go for shelter?"

"We actually haven't decided that yet. We don't really have a place to call home as of now," Kiara admitted. She didn't know why, but she felt like Kangaskhan was a trustworthy and kind Pokémon. _Is this what adult woman are like? That one woman who almost adopted me seemed really nice too…Maybe it's a motherly nature?_ she sighed, wishing she had a better experience with the subject, but Head Sister had treated her more like a nuisance than a daughter.

"No place to go? I simply cannot allow that! There will be more hostile Pokémon you're sure to encounter on your own and it seems that neither of you have any form of defense against them. Are you tired and hungry perhaps?" Kangaskhan rumbled.

"Very," Kiara yawned, her exhaustion becoming apparent as the Pokémon brought it up.

"Then come with me little ones. I'll make sure you'll have somewhere safe to rest and food to fill your bellies," Kangaskhan promised as she lifted Kiara up onto her shoulders and began to carry her away.

The young girl yawned again, rubbing her dreary eyes with one hand and clutching onto Kangaskhan with the other. Kiara gazed back at Wolf, who was following behind several feet away. She could tell by his facial expression that the boy was not happy about going with this Pokémon, but didn't make any oral protests. Kiara chose to ignore him and rest her head on Kangaskhan's, not seeing anything wrong with free food and a place to shelter. Smiling slightly, the young girl's eyes shut automatically with exhaustion, the rhythmic stomping of the parent Pokémon's feet soon lulling her into a light sleep.

Kiara awoke as sunlight shone directly on her eyes. Through her sleep she had noticed that Kangaskhan had stopped walking as well. Blinking her eyes open, she waited for them to clear so she could take a look at her surroundings.

The three were now in a peaceful clearing, the grass rippling in the breeze and sunlight gleaming down from above. To the right, Kiara saw a hole in the rock face with lichen draping over the entrance. She assumed it must be Kangaskhan's den. Her eyes wavered to up ahead, where several baby and tiny Pokémon were crowded around, a Darmanitan in the midst of them.

The little Pokémon scampered over to Kangaskhan as they saw her return, their little calls in Pokémon speech but relief apparent in their tones.

"Settle down everyone," the parent Pokémon chuckled. "I'm sorry I worried you, but I got a little…sidetracked," she mumbled as she pushed Wolf forward with her tail and picked Kiara up off her shoulders and into her arms.

The little Pokémon's eyes widened as they saw the two children. A Plusle and Minun began sniffing at Wolf with curiosity while a Pichu climbed onto Kangaskhan's arm and looked at Kiara with interest. "Pi pi?" the tiny mouse Pokémon asked with a tilt of its head towards the parent Pokémon.

"They're children, just like you all, except they're human," Kangaskhan answered. As the Pichu seemed to ask another question, the Pokémon continued. "Well, they don't seem to have any, so I was thinking I could be their mother now…"

Kiara's eyes widened as she heard the remark. _A mother?_ the idea made her feel a happiness she had never felt before. _Will Wolf and I be accepted here?_ doubt clouded her mind for a moment and she recalled her friend's wish of not wanting to replace his father. Surely it wouldn't be replacing him if it were Pokémon? Sighing, she was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts as the Pichu leaped into her lap and cheered merrily. Kiara giggled as she patted the Pokémon on the head, glad that not all Pokémon were hostile and frightening.

However as the Darmanitan headed slowly over to Kangaskhan, Pichu jumped off Kiara and the other baby Pokémon stepped aside, looking anxious. The Darmanitan stopped as soon as it was in front of the parent Pokémon. He began sniffing at Wolf and Kiara, snorting as the young girl flinched upon contact.

"I saved them from the Zangoose pack," the parent Pokémon explained in a low and gentle tone.

"Kangaskhan…They won't replace the one we lost," he mumbled. Kiara then realized the blazing Pokémon must be talking about the baby that had been missing from her pouch when she first saw her.

"I know that, but they need me," Kangaskhan replied compassionately, patting Kiara on the head as she smiled down at her.

The Darmanitan sighed and narrowed his eyes. "But Kangaskhan…Well, look at them! They're not our kind," he insisted. He was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No. You have to take them back," he said simply, beginning to turn away.

"Take them back?" she gaped in shock. "But they'll die!"

"If the forest wants them—" he started before he was cut off by Kangaskhan.

"_I_ want them."

"Kangaskhan I can't allow you to put our family in danger!" he snapped, turning to face them once again.

"Do they look 'dangerous' to you?" Kangaskhan retorted back, holding Kiara out in front of him as if daring him to say the little girl would put them in any danger.

The Darmanitan let out an enraged roar almost in Kiara's face before Kangaskhan quickly pulled her back and took the roar herself with a stern and furious gaze. This startled all the tiny Pokémon, who covered amongst themselves. Even Wolf now hid behind Kangaskhan's leg, most likely frightened enough for one day. After the blazing Pokémon had regained his composure, he sighed and looked at Kangaskhan dead in the eye. "Were they alone?" he muttered.

"Yes, neither of them have parents."

"Are you _sure_?" the Darmanitan countered in all seriousness.

"Yes," Kangaskhan made no hesitation in responding. "There are no others."

The Darmanitan sniffed and turned away once more. "Then you may keep them," he decided.

Kangaskhan let out a sigh of relief. "Darmanitan, I know they'll be good children—"

"I said they could stay," he interrupted, glancing back at her. "That doesn't make them my children," with that he slowly stomped off, leaving tension in the air.

Kangaskhan sighed inwardly before placing Kiara on the ground and laying her eyes on her and Wolf. "Come along now, let's get you inside and fill you up," she mumbled gently, taking one of Kiara's hands in her paw, who in turn grabbed Wolf's hand with her other hand.

Kiara followed along after the parent Pokémon, who pulled the lichen back so the two children could enter her den. The baby Pokémon followed along, their previous fear forgotten and their cheerful moods returned. The young girl's eyes widened as she noticed how much bigger this cavern was on the inside. In the middle of the large stone floor sat a campfire that burned quietly. Several torches lined the walls, lighting up the normally dark den. Several large tunnels branched off in different directions, torches illuminating them as well. The roof of this den was very high up, so high that Kiara imagined a legendary Pokémon could fit in here. Several piles of food and other supplies were scattered about, along with nests made of feathers, tufts of fur, and moss.

Kangaskhan led the two children to some of these nests, a few of the other Pokémon following after them while others scampered away into the tunnels. "Sit here for a moment while I go and get you some food," she mumbled before she stomped away towards the piles of supplies.

Kiara waited patiently, giving a friendly smile to a little Togepi who had followed them. She gently rubbed its head and giggled as the Pokémon cheered happily in return. As she continued to pet the Togepi, she glanced at Wolf, who had oddly not said anything since Kangaskhan first found them.

The young boy was sitting a few inches away from Kiara, hugging his knees and staring at the Plusle and Minun that sniffed at him. Despite their friendly gestures he was refusing to pet the duo, as if he refused to trust any of the Pokémon after their earlier experience with the Zangoose.

Before Kiara could say anything to soothe her friend's hostility and stubbornness, Kangaskhan returned, dumping an assortment of berries before them. "Eat up. I'm sure it's not anything like you're human food, but it's all we have for the time being."

Kiara gazed at the fruit, recognizing her favorite immediately: the Oran berry. She was used to it being cut up and placed in a little cup however, so she hesitated as she picked it from the pile. Slowly, she took a bite out of the blue fruit, relishing the juice that quenched her dry tongue as well as the nagging hunger in her belly as she swallowed. She continued to eat after she had finished the first, her hunger slowly ebbing away. Suddenly as she was finishing up a Pecha berry, tears started streaming down her face and her voice croaked. Kiara hadn't realized how distressed she truly was until her mind wandered back to her short time in the orphanage. This of course had caught the others off guard, and even Wolf was staring at her with alarm.

"Kiara, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Kangaskhan gasped, her voice brimming with concern.

The young girl sniffled several times, unable to respond for a moment as she sobbed. "W-We…Wolf…and I…We don't got anywhere to go…I'm lost…I'm scared…" her voice shook as she cried between words.

"Dear, you don't have to be afraid. You don't have to go anywhere. You are welcome to live here and I shall take care of both of you," the parent Pokémon soothed, taking Kiara's chin in her paw so that the little girl could look at her while she spoke.

Kiara sniffled, looking up at her with wide, teary eyes. "R-Really? Are you sure?..." she asked.

"Of course," Kangaskhan promised before she reached down and lifted Kiara into her arms. "Hush now…Don't cry, I'm here…" she whispered. "Come stop your crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight," the parent Pokémon sung the lullaby soothingly, taking Kiara's hand into her paw. "I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry. For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry. 'Cause you'll be in my heart. Yes, you'll be in my heart. From this day on, now and forever more. You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart, always…"

"Always…" Kiara repeated, her crying stopped and her eyes shut as Kangaskhan rocked her back and forth gently. She felt so much more relaxed now. The way the parent Pokémon spoke, her kindness and her gentleness…The young girl knew she could trust her.

_Always…_


	8. Chapter 7

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the lichen and into the dimly lit den. It had been a week since Wolf and Kiara had left the orphanage, and now the young boy sat in his nest, chewing on a Cheri berry absentmindedly.

At the other side of the den sat Kiara, surrounded by Pichu, Togepi, and Snubbull, all baby Pokémon that lived here with Kangaskhan and Darmanitan. The parent Pokémon sat next to the young girl, instructing her on how to separate good berries from bad ones. As they did so, Kangaskhan struck up casual conversation with Kiara.

"Even though you were lucky enough to stumble upon me, you must be careful of what you tell strangers. Be especially careful about mentioning the fact that you're an orphan. Some men might take advantage of that. Make sure you come straight to me if you ever encounter a skeptical stranger," Kangaskhan explained as she sorted through the fruit, placing the ripe berries in one pile and the rotten ones in another.

"Yes Mama," Kiara nodded obediently, already grown accustomed to using motherly pronouns with the parent Pokémon.

"Now, that doesn't mean you should be wary of all strangers. Some can have good intentions and be truly nice people," Kangaskhan continued.

"You mean like you?" the young girl piped up, pausing from her sorting and gazing up at the Pokémon merrily.

Kangaskhan let out a chuckle as her eyes fell upon Kiara. "Yes, like me," she nuzzled Kiara's head affectionately, who smiled warmly in return.

Wolf stifled a sigh as he turned his head away from the scene. He couldn't bring himself to share Kiara's feelings for the parent Pokémon and the baby Pokémon that lived with her. In all honesty, Wolf knew he had absolutely no reason not to trust her. Kangaskhan was truly kind and gentle and loving. She had even gone out just the other day and returned with new clothes for Kiara so she would no longer have to share his own. She also went out of her way to make sure the two were bathed and washed their dirty clothes in special water made out of sweet smelling blossoms and herbs. Overall, the parent Pokémon was more helpful than Wolf would ever admit. So why didn't he trust her?

Perhaps he still had anxieties with Pokémon after the encounter with the Zangoose pack, Wolf thought as he chewed on the stem of the Cheri berry. The young boy sighed, already knowing what the real reason was. By staying with these Pokémon, he felt as if he were betraying his father. Surely it couldn't be that way if it were Pokémon? He glanced back at Kiara, knowing that she was probably strongly annoyed with his stubbornness. He wondered for a moment if it would be best for him to just leave Kiara to her happy life here and go off somewhere else. Not a moment later he realized what a stupid idea that was. Where would he even go?

This thought made him recall how his well thought out plan had been a failure. At the time, he had been so anxious to get out of the orphanage that his mind had blocked out all logical thinking. First, he didn't even plan out where he and Kiara would shelter. The food supply he had stocked up was hardly enough to feed them for a week. Not to mention the two were absolutely defenseless without Pokémon of their own. If the Zangoose pack didn't shred them, something else might've come along and done worse. He felt like a complete idiot for ever thinking that two small children with no experience with the outside world could last more than a day in those conditions. Wolf realized he had more the reason now to be grateful that Kangaskhan had took them in just as Kiara was. Slowly but surely, he was starting to acknowledge Kangaskhan's importance in their lives. Wolf decided he would at least thank the parent Pokémon, if anything, for everything she was doing for them. However, just before he could get up and head towards her, a loud commotion outside startled the young boy as well as everyone else inside the den.

Only moments after did Darmanitan suddenly charge inside the den through the lichen, the baby Pokémon that had been playing outside quickly scampering after him. Once they were all in, the blazing Pokémon quickly moved the large, round stone next to the entrance in front of it. Wolf recalled Kangaskhan mentioning that they used this stone to hide their den in times of danger. What had happened outside that had caused the need to cower inside?

Hesitantly, the young boy crawled away from his nest and closer to the now blocked off exit. As he neared it, he could hear the voices of many men shouting at one another. Their words became clear as Wolf sat as close as he could to the blocked off entrance.

"Where did it go with our catch?" one man yowled angrily.

"It must've got away! C'mon, let's split up and keep looking," another man ordered. Quickly their voices faded away as they ran off searching for whatever they had lost.

"Darmanitan, what's that?" Kangaskhan questioned suddenly as she stomped over to him. The den had been silent until then, but seeing as the danger had passed for the time being, the parent Pokémon must've assumed that there was no need to be quiet anymore.

Wolf's eyes fell upon Darmanitan, who until then didn't notice that the blazing Pokémon was carrying something in his left arm. As he placed it on the ground before them, the young boy realized it was a Pokémon. He examined its yellow and orange fur and the six tails it bore. He realized this unconscious scrap of fur was a Vulpix, but something was off about it. It wasn't the right color.

"What's wrong with it Mama? It's not red-orange like it's supposed to be," Kiara asked as she got a closer look at the Vulpix, echoing Wolf's thoughts.

"Besides being injured, there's nothing wrong with its color. It's just a shiny Pokémon. They are extremely rare, but sometimes a Pokémon is born exactly the same as the rest of its species, except it bears a different color of skin, fur, scales, etcetera," Kangaskhan explained as she examined the Vulpix.

"That must be the reason those men were after it. I'd reckon a shiny Pokémon is worth a lot in their currency," Darmanitan rumbled.

"Not only is it shiny, but it's also male, which is rare for his species," Kangaskhan murmured after further examination. "Come now; let's not leave him on the floor like this. Take him over to the nests while I go to my stores to get supplies to treat his injuries," she ordered. Without waiting for a reply, she turned and stomped off, Kiara scampering after her.

Darmanitan nodded slowly before gently picking up the fox Pokémon and carrying him over to one of the nests. Wolf followed behind him, surprised to see the normally aggressive Pokémon being so careful. Perhaps he really was a kind Pokémon deep down, and he just openly hated on Wolf and Kiara alone. The young boy wondered if a bad experience in his past might've triggered his dislike and distrust towards humans. He didn't dwell on the prediction any longer as the blazing Pokémon placed the Vulpix down into the nest next to his own.

Wolf settled down in his own nest next to the fox Pokémon as Kangaskhan approached them carrying several different plants he assumed were used for healing purposes.

"Alright, all of you, go away and leave me to focus!" the parent Pokémon scolded as several of the baby Pokémon were crowded around them. "You too," she growled at Darmanitan, who had remained where he was as the disappointed babies dispersed. Letting out a grumble, the blazing Pokémon sniffed and stomped off without protest. "Now, you pay close attention Kiara. You never know when this info may come in handy," Kangaskhan told the young girl, who nodded in return.

Wolf got comfortable in his nest, deciding he would stick around for their lesson. He had nothing better to do, and besides, learning how to heal using herbs could prove to be helpful in the future.

Kangaskhan first picked up a large, yellow berry from the pile of assorted supplies and placed it next to the Vulpix. "That's a Sitrus berry. It, like the Oran berry, helps restore a Pokémon's strength, except it is slightly stronger. We can have him eat that when he wakes up," she explained.

Kiara nodded in understanding. "I remember reading about the Sitrus berry back in my studies. There are also other berries that heal status conditions like poison and burn, and other berries that weaken the power of certain types of moves if eaten."

"That's right," Kangaskhan's rumble was full of approval. "However, berries cannot heal all wounds so easily. Since we don't have man-made items like potions, we have to resort to natural resources," she reached back into her stack of herbs before pulling out a lavender flower stalk and placing it close to the Vulpix's nostrils. "He's going to be anxious once he wakes up in this unfamiliar environment, especially after being hunted down by those men. Inhaling the scent of the lavender shall calm his nerves," she explained. "There are other herbs we can give him to calm his anxieties once he awakens, but for now this will suffice."

Kiara was nodding vigorously to everything Kangaskhan said, obviously listening intently just as the parent Pokémon had asked.

Wolf listened quietly, laying down and resting his head on his backpack as he watched the parent Pokémon work. He could smell the sweet aroma of the lavender from his own nest and could see how it could ease the nerves of the fox Pokémon.

Kangaskhan bent down over the Vulpix, sniffing at him and running her paws along his flank and legs. Once she had finished her examination, she pulled back and returned to the pile once more. "He has a few bruises and a sprained paw, but no open wounds," she reported as she searched through the assortment of herbs for the ones she needed.

"That's good then?" Kiara asked with a tilt of her head.

Kangaskhan nodded. "It means he didn't pass out from excessive blood loss. I assume the men were pursuing him for a long time, giving him no time to rest. It must've drained all his energy and eventually his body couldn't take it anymore and he fell unconscious," she predicted.

Wolf's eyes slightly widened at this remark. If her prediction was right, then he and the Vulpix would have similar experiences. He and Kiara had already been deprived of their energy that night, so Wolf wondered if things had been different if he and Kiara would've passed out because of exhaustion like the Vulpix did.

By now Kangaskhan had found the herbs she was looking for and was going back to treating the fox Pokémon. She had several different herbs in her paws this time instead of just one. She laid them out neatly in front of the Vulpix, but not too close so he wouldn't accidentally roll onto them. "These are all herbs we can give him once he awakens, since they need to be consumed. These," she pointed to some small black seeds resting on an ordinary leaf, "are poppy seeds. His pains might bother him a bit while he tries to rest, so poppy seeds will help him sleep. This thyme," she pointed to a green stalk covered in tiny leaves, "will serve the same purpose if he needs it. Now, these flowers are chamomile and tansy," she gestured to the white and yellow flowers she had laid out. "The leaves of the tansy will help relieve of the pain in his sprained paw. If he eats both the leaves and the flowers of the chamomile, it'll help get his physical strength back to normal," she finished.

Kiara's eyes were wide in awe. "I never would've thought flowers and leaves could do so much for a Pokémon. You really are talented Mama!" she exclaimed gleefully.

The parent Pokémon let out a chuckle and ruffled the young girl's hair with her paw. "It's nothing really. I just learned it from my own mother, just as you are now."

"Do you think I could be as great as you someday then?" Kiara asked hopefully.

"I _know_ you'll be even better. Now come on, let's let the Vulpix rest peacefully. Coming Wolf?" Kangaskhan turned to face the young boy.

Wolf shook his head. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on the Vulpix. I'll be sure to let you know if he wakes up," he mumbled in response.

Kangaskhan hesitated. "Well, alright, but try not to disturb him, though I doubt you would," she was about to turn away when Wolf called out to her.

"Wait," the young boy called awkwardly. "Um, Kangaskhan, I just wanted to thank you, for everything you're doing for us…I never said it before, but I really do appreciate it. I just wanted to let you know that…Mama…" he murmured, not meeting the Pokémon's gaze.

Kangaskhan's eyes widened in surprise before they simmered down. "It's nothing dear. I'd do anything for my children," she smiled gently as she ruffled the boy's hair.

Wolf looked up at her in slight surprise and relief that the parent Pokémon wasn't holding any grudges against his previous hostility. As she pulled her paw back, Wolf caught Kiara's brightened gaze. It was obvious to see that the young girl was very pleased that slowly Wolf was bringing down the walls he had formed around himself. He looked away awkwardly and let out a sigh once he heard their footsteps fade away.

Wolf didn't see anything wrong with referring to Kangaskhan as his mother since he never had one, therefore no one would be getting replaced. Besides, she was kind and loving and caring. She already fit the position of a mother perfectly well. Since Darmanitan wasn't fond of neither him nor Kiara, no one would be replacing his father and everything would be fine. _Maybe I can have a happy life here after all…_

Wolf settled down comfortably in his nest, his eyes focusing on the unconscious fox Pokémon. He wondered what he would act like once he woke up. Stifling a yawn, the young boy curled up until he dozed off into a light nap.

***  
A few days had passed since Vulpix had appeared outside the den. Darmanitan had removed the stone blocking the den's entrance, but the baby Pokémon nor Wolf and Kiara were allowed to play outside. Meanwhile, the fox Pokémon had awakened and was awake most of the time now. When he first regained consciousness, which hadn't been until the next day, Kangaskhan fed him all the herbs he needed. She had been right about his anxieties as when he awoke he seemed very apprehensive and wouldn't rest, but the poppy seeds she fed him soon took effect.

Now the fox Pokémon was a bit more relaxed and even played with some of the baby Pokémon, but he remained in his nest and didn't move his sprained paw much. Vulpix did seemed rather displeased that Wolf slept in the nest next to his, most likely because of his experience with the men that had been hunting him down, the young boy assumed.

Wolf now sat in his nest, Vulpix in his own nest but hardly acknowledging that the boy was next to him. Kangaskhan had said the day before that she was going to ask the fox Pokémon what had really happened to lead up to him fleeing from the men. However, she had gone out for the day to collect more berries and she had yet to return. Wolf sighed quietly, curiosity gnawing at his mind. For some reason, he wanted to gain this Pokémon's trust. It was almost like if he did so, he would feel better about the old hostility he had that had completely vanished now, though he still felt uncomfortable around Darmanitan. However, it wasn't easy to just strike up a conversation with a Pokémon that didn't speak his language like Kangaskhan and Darmanitan. Before he could make a decision, a sound at the entrance of the den caught his attention and he tore his eyes away from Vulpix.

Kangaskhan had finally returned from her collecting, her pouch filled to the brim with berries. She stomped over to the piles opposite the nests and deposited her fill. By now Kiara had joined the parent Pokémon as she approached Vulpix and Wolf.

Wolf grasped the moss of his nest apprehensively, impatiently wanting to know as much of the fox's Pokémon's history as he could. It felt like ages had passed once Kangaskhan had finally settled herself down in front of Vulpix.

"Good afternoon Vulpix. How are you feeling today?" Kangaskhan asked casually.

"Pix-pix," the Pokémon answered, his eyes now focused on the parent Pokémon.

"I see. Well don't you worry, with a little bit of rest you'll be back to normal in no time," she started positively before continuing. "Vulpix, I have a question for you. Darmanitan simply told us that he saw you fleeing from men before you collapsed. That was when we took you in and began nursing you back to health. Do you think you could tell us a bit more about what happened to you before you got to us?" Kangaskhan asked gently, obviously not trying to force the fox Pokémon into anything he was uncomfortable with.

Vulpix hesitated. For a moment Wolf thought he was going to refuse until he nodded. "Vulpix-pix," he started, continuing to explain in a language Wolf didn't comprehend.

Kangaskhan started to repeat what he said in human speech so the two children could understand. "'It all started when I was a pup. I hatched out of my egg at the same time as my brothers and sisters. However, as you already know, I was different. My mother didn't know what was wrong with me. She thought that this new color of mine meant I was the runt of the litter. She nearly killed me one day when I tried to eat the food she had brought home for us, claiming that a runt that would probably die anyways didn't need to deprive her children of a larger meal. It was after that day that I ran away. It was only a few days later that I had my first encounter with a human. It was a man, one of the ones that chased me here. He said that a beautiful Pokémon like me shouldn't be out all alone and scared. He told me to follow him and having nowhere else to go anyways, I did. Little did I know what his true intentions were. It didn't take me long to figure out though, when he tried to get me to go in a cage. I didn't fall for his tricks and quickly attacked him before making my escape, but he and more men followed me. Tried as I did, I couldn't shake them. I had been running for an entire day when I finally collapsed near you all, and the rest is history,'" she finished a few moments after Vulpix did.

Wolf sat in silence, taking in every word of the story. Once it was over, he was unsure of what to say. This was the second time he had encountered a situation involving a bad human, the first being with Head Sister.

Kangaskhan was the first to actually respond to the tale. She was giving Vulpix a sympathetic gaze. "You poor thing. You must've had it rough. Well, you see, I take care of orphaned Pokémon here. Even these two children are orphans. From your story, it sounds like you have nowhere to go. If you want, you are welcome to stay here like the rest of them, but if you don't, once you're all better, you are free to go. I'll let you rest now, but if you need me for anything, just give a holler," she mumbled. With that, she rose to her feet, stomping off to go find Darmanitan. Kiara quickly followed after her after a glance back at Vulpix and Wolf.

The fox Pokémon nodded before stretching out in his nest and resting his chin on his forepaws.

Wolf's eyes once again fell upon Vulpix. Taking a deep breath, he mustered up the courage to start a conversation with him. "Uh…Hi Vulpix. My name's Wolf," He introduced himself casually.

Vulpix glanced at the boy before snorting and looking away again.

Wolf flinched at his coldness towards him. He wondered for a moment if this was how the baby Pokémon had felt when he had been hostile towards them. Guilt swept over him, realizing that this feeling certainly wasn't a pleasant one. _Karma_ he thought grudgingly. Sighing, he continued despite Vulpix's response. "Well, as Kangaskhan said, I'm an orphan. My mother died giving birth to me and my dad died suddenly after getting really sick. I had no other family to take care of me, so I was sent to the orphanage. You might not know what that is, but it's a place where all orphan children go," the young boy explained.

Vulpix did not turn to face Wolf as he spoke. The only sign he gave that he was listening was the twitch of his ears every so often.

"It was there I met Kiara—the little girl that's usually hanging around Kangaskhan. She and I became best friends, but there was this old lady there that thought she was a monster. She never let Kiara be around anyone else. Eventually, since I stayed by Kiara's side, she and I became so isolated that we decided we should just leave the orphanage. So we did one night, while everyone was asleep. Everything went smoothly until daybreak, when we accidentally woke up a Zangoose pack. They chased us, just like those men chased you, until we couldn't run anymore. They almost got us until Kangaskhan saved us. It's only been a short while, but ever since then we've been living here," Wolf explained.

In the middle of the tale, Vulpix had focused his eyes on Wolf, though his expression was unreadable.

Wolf met the fox Pokémon's gaze. "I found out your story. I figured you should know mine. I…I hope we can become friends one day. Oh, and there's one more thing you should know. My name's not actually Wolf; it's Charlie. No one here knows that, not even Kiara. I hope you feel special knowing that," he murmured.

Vulpix held his gaze for a moment longer before looking away without even a grunt.

However this didn't bother Wolf. He had gotten Vulpix to look at him without dislike, and that was a start. Settling down in his nest, he shut his eyes upon positive thoughts. _I managed to open up, and I know he will too._


	9. Chapter 8

Wolf's ears were met with the excited giggles and cheers of the baby Pokémon around him. A few more days had passed since Vulpix's arrival, adding up to a full week now. The fox Pokémon was up and about now, his bruises hardly bothering him. His paw was also starting to get a feel for applying pressure on it, even if it wasn't much. Darmanitan and Kangaskhan had also allowed the baby Pokémon as well as Kiara and Wolf to start going outside again since there had no sign of the men for quite some time. Now, Kiara and the baby Pokémon played gleefully inside and outside the den. There were no chores that needed to be done that day, so even Kangaskhan and Darmanitan were seemingly relaxed.

The young girl was peering around Kangaskhan as the parent Pokémon set up meals for everyone in her hand-made wooden and stone bowls. "Hey Mama, do we ever need the rotten berries for anything?" she asked suddenly, blinking her violet eyes up at her.

"Hmm…Well the ripe yet mushy berries I use to feed the young baby Pokémon since they can't eat hard berries yet, but the rotten ones? I think all I ever do is throw them away. Why dear?" Kangaskhan answered, turning her broad head to face Kiara.

"Well, I wanted to use them for something, but I wanted to make sure you didn't need them first," Kiara mumbled in response. "Can I use them then? Oh, and I need a bowl too if you don't mind," she requested politely with a dip of her head.

Kangaskhan gave the young girl an inquiring look but didn't question her motives. "Alright…Well, the rotten berries that I haven't thrown out yet are over there," she pointed to a pile of berries separated from the ripe ones a little ways away from where they were located. Handing Kiara a spare bowl, she went back to her work.

Wolf eyed Kiara curiously as she quickly headed over to the rotten berries, a few of the baby Pokémon following behind her, these including Pichu, Togepi, Plusle and Minun, and Igglybuff. She also snatched a few ripe berries from a different pile when the parent Pokémon wasn't looking. Situating herself by the cavern wall, she tossed the ripe berries into the bowl before reaching for the rotten ones in the pile next to her. Once those were in the bowl as well, she grabbed one of the neatly carved rounded utensils Kangaskhan had in her den. Using it, she began to mash the berries together, turning them into a goop. _What is she doing?_ Wolf wondered with a raised brow as he began cleaning up his nest while he watched.

Kiara placed the rounded, wooden utensil to the side once she was finished. "Look, paint!" she tipped the bowl of mush towards the baby Pokémon around her so they could see. She placed it back down before gazing around, as if looking for something. "No brush…Oh well, we'll just have to finger-paint!" she giggled as she dipped her fingers into the gooey, smashed berries, the tips of them now a dark blue since the berries she had been using were Chesto berries. Turning to the cavern wall, she began to draw pictures onto it using her navy fingers, though Wolf was too far away to see exactly what of.

The baby Pokémon watched her in awe for a moment before quickly joining in, tussling around the bowl to reach the "paint." Igglybuff was among the first, floating up a bit before tapping his little paws against the cavern wall, trying to mimic Kiara's actions. The other Pokémon did the same, though they remained on the ground as they scribbled across the rock gleefully.

Kiara let out a joyful laugh at seeing the baby Pokémon enjoying the new toy she had made for them. "Yeah, that's it! We're all going to be great artists one day!" she cheered. The young girl then turned in Wolf's direction. "Come play with us!" she called encouragingly.

Wolf didn't hesitate to shake his head in response. "No thanks," he answered, his mind on other subjects. Normally he wouldn't have hesitated to enjoy something so carefree with Kiara, but he still wanted to get close to Vulpix. Now that the fox Pokémon was out and about, it would probably be easier to play games and get closer with him than before.

Kiara however looked a tad hurt by his answer before her eyes narrowed in contempt. "You're no fun!" she hissed before turning her head away and continuing her painting with the Pokémon situated around her.

Wolf sighed, not at all surprised by Kiara's reaction. After all, he had hardly spoken to her since they had arrived at Kangaskhan's den, though he hadn't meant for that to happen. The young boy had probably brought her hopes up the other day after he had given his thanks to Kangaskhan, but he still had managed to unintentionally avoid her. She was just always with the baby Pokémon at first, so he didn't want to be around her when she was with them. Now that he's accepted being with them, he wanted to get close to Vulpix and perhaps make him stay in the den with the rest of them. Turning away, he headed for the den's exit, where he had seen the hesitant Vulpix step through earlier that day, encouraged by Cleffa and Teddiursa.

As the young boy pushed his way through the lichen, he immediately saw Vulpix and the two Pokémon situated in the grassy clearing. There was a light, cool breeze in the air, and Wolf relished it on such a warm summer day. He heard the leaves of the deciduous trees around them rustling in the gentle wind. Everything seemed peaceful. Even though he had been frightened his first day leaving the orphanage, it felt marvelous to be surrounded by fresh air and nature once again. His eyes wandered about the clearing, spotting other baby Pokémon also enjoying the lovely day. Darmanitan was also basking in the sunlight next to the den's outer rock wall, his eyes shut in repose as he lay amongst its warmth. However he noticed that the fox Pokémon seemed very anxious, even from far away, as his fur was raised off his shoulders and his ears were perked. It was obvious that unlike the others he had not forgotten the men that had oh so recently tried to capture him.

Wolf walked over to Vulpix, who was watching as Teddiursa and Cleffa seemed to be showing him how to play hide and seek. The star shape Pokémon had scampered off to hide behind one of the trees while the little bear Pokémon covered his eyes with his paws and said things in Pokémon speech that sounded like counting. After a moment more, Teddiursa uncovered his eyes and scurried away in search of Cleffa. "Hey Vulpix," the young boy greeted as he sat next to the fox Pokémon, offering a friendly smile.

Vulpix veered his gaze away from the two baby Pokémon to face Wolf. He blinked slowly before twitching his tails in greeting. His hostility towards the young boy had vanished, though he still didn't seem too ready to open up and become pals yet.

"They showing you how to play a game?" Wolf asked as his eyes wavered to where Teddiursa had found Cleffa and was now cheering and jumping up and down in triumph.

Vulpix nodded and grunted in response, his tails wagging back and forth a bit as he finally seemed to relax a bit, though his ears were still perked up, as if he were just waiting for something dangerous to ruin the serene atmosphere.

Wolf hesitated in responding as he watched Cleffa begin counting now as Teddiursa ran off to hide. There had been a thought on his mind the past few days, and he wanted to come clean about it to Vulpix. He had a feeling this thought might be the reason the fox Pokémon had any buried hostilities towards him, if any. Taking a deep breath, he pushed away his doubts and began to speak. "I think you really wanna be my friend. I do. But you're probably thinking, 'What makes him any different? How do I know he won't just use me for my rarity like those men did?'" he started off, his eyes focused on the baby Pokémon as he spoke. He could feel Vulpix's gaze on him now, but he wouldn't dare meet it with his own. "In all honesty, I of all people am probably most likely to seem to betray you. After all, I'm just a kid who has no money of his own. I could easily use you to make myself have loads of money. But I'd never do that. You wanna know why?" he now faced the fox Pokémon, struggling to meet his gaze but somehow managing to do so. "Because I don't think of Pokémon as objects to be sold for a profit. I know that you're a living, breathing, intelligent creature with thoughts and feelings just like humans. I know I wouldn't want to feel like some prize to be bought, so I would never put anyone through that. I may be wrong and you might not have any of these thoughts in your head at all, but I just wanted you to know how I feel. Maybe…it'll allow you to trust me a bit more now," he ended off in a murmur and lowered his gaze away from Vulpix's, their emotionless depths becoming too overwhelming for him.

When Wolf dared to look up again, though not meeting his eyes, the fox Pokémon still had the same emotion he had before Wolf had brought up the subject. He seemed thoughtful, and still hadn't made a gesture or a noise in response to what Wolf had said. It made the young boy more anxious than if Vulpix rejected him—the suspense was killing him. Wolf's eyes widened as Vulpix suddenly whipped his head around, but soon realized it had nothing to do with him. The fox Pokémon's old anxieties had returned and his fur was bristling. Not a moment after did a sudden crash through the undergrowth completely break the tranquil atmosphere like a glass shattering against a hard wood floor. What looked like a metallic net was launched towards Vulpix, who was in moments trapped in a spherical cage.

Vulpix snarled in anger before gnawing and clawing at the metal bars that contained him to no avail. However this didn't stop the fox Pokémon from trying, as he fought as if his life depended on it.

"Finally! We'd thought you'd never show your face out here again!" a strange but slightly familiar voice startled Wolf as a man suddenly pushed his way into the clearing from the same direction that the cage had appeared. He wore a black suit and sunglasses and had bright blond hair. "You sure were a struggle to find again, but it's good to have you back with us now little buddy," he laughed in mockery, using a robotic arm-like device to pick up the spherical cage without having to actually grab it with his hands.

Darmanitan was wide awake now and his eyes were blazing in rage. "Release him now and I won't retaliate," he snarled, though Wolf could see he was fighting the urge to attack this man right then and there.

"Oh no big fella, we can't have you snatching our little prize away again," the man waved his free pointer finger back and forth while shaking his head. He then snapped his fingers, and suddenly more men appeared out of the undergrowth, these ones having something in their arms. Wolf flinched as he realized they were guns, just as he had seen on TV back when he had lived with his father. "One wrong move and I'll kill you and anyone else here that poses a threat to our operations," he sneered.

"You humans never cease to disgust me," Darmanitan spat as the baby Pokémon that were outside quickly scrambled to hide behind him. "All of you humans are the same," he snarled with a shake of his broad head.

"Say what you like. Do you really think we care? All I want is to sell this runt and make a fortune. I could care less what happens to him after we sell him to the highest bidder, just as you should. You've known him for what, a week? You can't have already grown attached to him! Do us all a favor and just pretend he never set foot here, alright?" the man muttered, preparing to turn away until something snagged onto his leg.

"Let Vulpix go!" it was Wolf, who had charged bravely towards the man even with the risk of being shot in mind. He wasn't going to let them get away without putting up a fight. He dug his nails into the man's leg before sinking his teeth in as well.

"Stupid brat! I don't know what the fuck you're doing with a bunch of wild Pokémon, but you're becoming a nuisance. I may want money, but at least I'm sane enough not to shoot a kid. Now do me a favor, and fuck off!" the man snapped as he shook his leg violently to try to get Wolf off in vain.

Wolf released the grip he held with his teeth but still clung on desperately with his limbs. "No! I won't let you get away with this! Vulpix isn't some gold mine you can make a fortune off of! He's a living creature with emotions just like us and he won't be treated so poorly!" he snapped in fury.

The man growled in response, clearly shocked to see him fighting so much but didn't seem too bothered by it either. Using his free leg, he kicked Wolf hard in the head, causing the young boy to release his grip and fall backwards. "I'll admit you're more trouble than I'd thought you'd be, but not enough to give me a real headache. Now, go back to you Pokémon friends and leave me to do my adult business, alright kid? If you're good, I'll even come back and give you a piece of the profit," he mocked as he kicked Wolf again, this time hard in the stomach.

Wolf fought back the tears of pain that threatened to escape from their ducts, just barely managing to open his eyes without crying. Through his now slightly blurred vision, he could still see Vulpix, staring at him with a stunned expression, as if the fox Pokémon was still processing Wolf's attempt to save him. "I'm…sorry…" he grunted, hoping that the shiny could hear him before he was taken away.

"Alright men, let's move out!" the man ordered, preparing to head out now that all threats were dealt with. However, just before the other men could turn around, a mighty but familiar roar rang through Wolf's ears. [i]Mama![/i] He had never been happier to hear Kangaskhan's rage, not even when she saved them from the Zangoose pack.

The men gazed around frantically in confusion, pointing their guns in different directions to try and eliminate the threat as soon as possible. However, it was too late as the parent Pokémon burst through the undergrowth behind them, her body surrounded by a purple energy and her eyes gleaming red. [i]She's using Outrage![/i] Wolf thought in triumph as he shakily sat up, his vision clearing and his pain slowly numbing. Far before the men had the chance to even point their guns at her, Kangaskhan knocked them right out of their hands and stomped about furiously, crushing the weapons and snapping them into pieces upon impact. She let out another roar as she struck out at the men, dealing heavy damage to each one of them.

Seeing his chance now that the guns had been eliminated, Darmanitan suddenly cloaked himself in a fiery energy and charged right for the lead man that still held Vulpix, who had stood watching as his comrades were assaulted by the parent Pokémon. He realized far too late that the blazing Pokémon was charging at him as he was met with the large flaming body. Darmanitan quickly destroyed the robotic arm with his Flare Blitz attack before grabbing Vulpix's cage and ripping it open like it was a berry, setting the fox Pokémon free.

Kangaskhan snarled threateningly, the Outrage worn off as she popped a Persim berry from her pouch into her mouth and backed the other men into a corner. The lead man soon joined them as Darmanitan backed the frightened male into his companions. "If we ever see even strand of your hair inside our territory again, we'll kill you," the blazing Pokémon snarled, receiving a growl of agreement from Kangaskhan.

The men nodded frantically, shaking in fear and crying all the more. "W-We understand! We won't ever come here again! J-Just please let us go!" the lead man wailed his plea desperately.

Kangaskhan snorted before stepping back, allowing them a free path to escape to. "Get out of our sight," she spat before the men nodded yet again and scrambled to their feet, running as fast as they could out of there and vanishing from the clearing within moments. Only their destroyed technology remained to show that they had even been here at all.

Wolf sighed with relief, glad to see those men scurry away. _Good riddance_, he thought as he gazed around the clearing. The baby Pokémon that had been outside were now cheering triumphantly. Kiara and the other Pokémon that had been inside during the chaos now stood just outside the den's entrance, also cheering gleefully for Kangaskhan and Darmanitan. Just before he could join them in their joy, he was suddenly tackled down by a body and his face was showered in licks. Opening one eye in confusion, he saw Vulpix standing on him happily as he covered the young boy's face with flicks of his tongue. "V-Vulpix!" Wolf stammered in shock and happiness at the fox Pokémon's friendly gesture.

"He's thanking you for saving him, though I don't see what for. We did all the hard work," Darmanitan grumbled as he strode over to the boy and the shiny.

"Oh come now, Wolf did try and it's the thought that counts, right?" Kangaskhan rumbled as she returned from kicking away all the debris into the undergrowth.

Vulpix paused from his licking and stepped off Wolf to face the two Pokémon. "Pix-Vulpix!" he dipped his head as his tails wagged back and forth in absolute gratitude.

Kangaskhan chuckled in response. "It was nothing dear. I'd do anything to protect the lives in my den," she mumbled in response while Darmanitan simply grunted in response, though it seemed good-heartedly.

"Pix-pix!" Vulpix turned back to Wolf before nuzzling the boy's head with his own affectionately.

Kangaskhan paused before nodding. "'Well, I've decided I'm going to stay here with my new friend Wolf! We're going to become best friends, and have lots of fun, because he tried to save me! He showed me not all humans are bad, and it's the best feeling in the world to know so many of you care so much even though we've only known each other for a short time,'" the parent Pokémon repeated the fox Pokémon's speech, realizing he wanted to be translated so that Wolf could understand him.

Wolf's eyes widened in joy at hearing those words. "You really mean it? You're gonna be my friend?" he echoed in glee, this being one of the first times he was truly happy ever since his father's death.

"Pix!" Vulpix nodded with a smile, his tails still wagging happily.

"Hooray!" Wolf cheered as he embraced Vulpix in his arms, the feeling bringing him great bliss. Though it hadn't been the way he had wanted, he had successfully gained the fox Pokémon's trust. It was something he knew he was going to cherish for the rest of his life.

Kiara stepped towards the group with a broad smile before turning her head to face Kangaskhan. "But Mama, how did you manage to get behind those men and attack them? I never saw you leave the den," she asked in confusion, her violet eyes blinking up at the parent Pokémon.

Kangaskhan rolled her eyes. "All of you were so caught up in your own activities that not a single one of you saw me head out to go fetch us some more berries for lunch. I swear I could've been captured and no one would've noticed!" she sighed before shaking her head. "No matter, it ended up working in our favor this time around. Don't dwell on it too much. What matters now is that is that Vulpix is safe and the threat of those men is long gone," she mumbled with a smile.

"Yeah!" Kiara agreed before turning to face Wolf and Vulpix. "_Now_ will you come play with us? Vulpix too of course! We made some more paints to use!" she asked hopefully, her eyes gleaming.

"Of course!" Wolf nodded, finally able to enjoy his friend's company once again. Not only that, but he could enjoy the company of a new friend, which he was certain would be the first of many times he would do so.

"Oh no you don't!" Kangaskhan scolded as she snatched the back of the shirts of the two children, preventing them from rushing back into the den. "You and everyone else need to go get cleaned up by the stream for lunch! Watch out for those men, they might still be lurking around, but they hardly pose a threat to us anymore. Plus, I think they're far too frightened to attack us twice in one day," she chuckled, receiving giggles of amusement from the two children and the baby Pokémon. "Now off with you! Be safe!" she ordered and soon Kiara and Wolf led the way out of the clearing to the nearby stream, Vulpix and the baby Pokémon scampering after them.

Wolf fell into step with Kiara, his face glowing with the happiness Kiara had managed to have since they had gotten here. He was suddenly nudged by his companion playfully as she stepped ahead of him. "Race you to the stream!" she challenged before suddenly taking off.

"Hey, no fair!" Wolf exclaimed as he took off after her. The baby Pokémon and Vulpix attempted to keep up to no avail as the two children sprinted side by side in the beautiful summer day. _Kiara and Vulpix and everyone else and I are going to live here happily for a long time, and nothing's going to change that! Do you see me now dad? I finally found a place to call home!_


	10. Chapter 9

The gurgle of the stream echoed through Kiara's ears. The sun shone brightly down on her and the baby Pokémon as they played in the brook to cool off. Here and there a cloud wisped by, though not enough for any rain or to block out the rays shining upon them. It had been a few weeks since the chaos with the men had occurred, and everything had been overall peaceful since then. Wolf and Vulpix's friendship had already grown stronger in such a short time as they did everything together. Now on such a hot summer day, Kangaskhan had suggested that Kiara and Wolf take the baby Pokémon down to the stream to enjoy the heat while it lasted. The two children, being the oldest, were to supervise them and make sure that none of the baby Pokémon went downstream, where the current was faster and the water was deeper.

Kiara was wading in the shallowest part of the stream, the water only reaching halfway up her shins. The baby Pokémon around her however were already belly deep in the brook. These included Pichu, Plusle and Minun, Teddiursa, Azurill, and Cleffa. Back on the shore, Wolf was sitting in the shade as he kept an eye on the baby Pokémon that had preferred not to get their paws wet. Those included his friend Vulpix of course, being a fire type, Snubbull, Skitty, Bonsly, Phanpy, and Magby, the new orphan that Kangaskhan had found that now lived with the rest of them in her den. Igglybuff, Togepi, and Happiny had remained back at the den with Kangaskhan, being too young to swim and to be trusted to avoid the water.

Kiara splashed at the Pokémon she was watching, showering them in clear droplets. Of course they protested with their giggles as they tried to cover their heads with their tiny paws before splashing back at the young girl. "Oh no! Don't splash me! I'll do anything!"she exaggerated playfully as she blocked most of the water from hitting her face with her hands. She enjoyed this serene atmosphere, where she could play every day and actually be cared for by someone who enjoyed her presence. It was certainly a step up from the orphanage, and she could tell Wolf felt that way too. After all, this was the happiest she had seen him since she first met him. He no longer looked like the timid and frustrated boy she had first encountered. Now he was just as playful as she was, enjoying the company of Kangaskhan and Vulpix and the baby Pokémon all the same. The boy on her mind, Kiara glanced over to see what he was up to once the baby Pokémon around her had started splashing each other instead.

Wolf was playing amongst the shade that the leaves of the trees offered with Vulpix, though he was too far off for Kiara to see what exactly he was doing. Nearby, Skitty and Snubbull chased each other around a tree, while Bonsly was leaning up against that same tree, too shy to join in. However, Kiara noticed that neither Phanpy nor Magby were with the group. Gazing around in alarm, she searched the area for the long nose Pokémon and the live coal Pokémon. Anxiety started to grow inside her when she found no sign of them, until suddenly she spotted their baby blue and red bodies. Unfortunately, what she saw only made her anxiety worse.

Phanpy was chasing Magby playfully farther downstream and continued to head farther, as if the two were hardly noticing how far away they were headed from the others. Kiara felt panic consume her at the thought of the two baby Pokémon falling into the stream so far down and being dragged away by the rapid current. "Magby, Phanpy! Stop!" she called frantically as she splashed through the water towards them.

Her call startled the two, causing them to abruptly halt and turn around to see what the problem was. They were already dangerously close to the edge of the stream however, and as they stopped their running Phanpy crashed right into Magby, sending the live coal Pokémon over the edge and into the foaming water. "No!" Kiara wailed, quickly turning back to find her friend. "Wolf! Help!"

The young boy flinched at hearing Kiara's plea and quickly paused from his antics to see what was going on. The young girl's call had also frightened the remaining baby Pokémon, who stared wildly past Kiara at the scene occurring downstream. Wolf's eyes widened, as if he realized that this was partially his fault for taking his eyes off the babies for a few seconds.

Kiara had no time to feel sympathy for her friend. Without hesitation she threw herself belly first into the water and frantically paddled forward to rescue the fire type that was already struggling to keep his head above water. "Hold on Magby! I'm coming!" she called, hoping he had heard her before his head suddenly vanished underneath the surface. Her anxiety was overwhelming her now, even after she saw the live coal Pokémon resurface moments later.

The current was much quicker now as it dragged her downstream at a rapid pace. She could no longer feel the brook's bottom and was struggling to keep herself afloat while also keeping her eyes on Magby. After all, despite her courageous leap to save him, Kiara had no idea how to properly swim. Moments ago, her only thought process had been to make sure that Magby didn't drown, but now it seemed as if she was also in the same predicament. She recalled being carried right past the startled Phanpy, but everything was already starting to become a blur. She hoped Wolf had taken care of the other baby Pokémon she had abandoned in the stream while chasing after this one.

The young girl gasped as the water suddenly pushed her back and forth, throwing her against the stream's sandy slopes. Her eyes were just barely catching a glimpse of Magby's red head before she was suddenly dragged under, swallowing water in the process. Frantically scrambling for the surface, she coughed it up and gasped for air, however once her mind cleared a bit the live coal Pokémon was nowhere in sight. "Magby?!" she wailed, pleading desperately for some sort of response but only the rushing current roared through her ears. She had to get herself back to the surface or she'd never find him again, Kiara thought quickly. However her panic only grew as she struggled to find land. The current was carrying her too fast; everything that she ran by was just a blob of green and brown. _I'm going to drown!_ she nearly wailed until she was dragged under again, the current underneath even more violent than it was above the surface. She felt herself being pulled and spun around, her energy drained as she tried to resurface to no avail. Was the current slowing down and becoming less aggressive, or was it her imagination in her exhaustion? She never got to find out the answer herself as she gave into her pleading lungs and slipped into unconsciousness.

"Kiara! Buddy, c'mon Kiara, don't die on me!" a desperate plea echoed through the young girl's ears frantically.

Kiara's mind was whirling and her eyes still saw nothing but darkness. _Wolf…?_ she thought in confusion. What was happening? Hadn't she drowned? Had her friend saved her?

"Don't die on me, please, you're not supposed to do it!" the young boy's wail continued as Kiara felt something shaking her violently. There was a bark of agreement, sounding a lot like Vulpix. Suddenly Kiara felt something pushing itself out of her body as she suddenly jolted awake and coughed up a large amount of water, her eyes wide open now and adjusting to the scenery.

Kiara gazed around in confusion, looking back at the stream at that was a few yards behind where she lay as she took deep, quick breaths. The current was calmer, just as it was where the group had been originally playing. As she looked up she saw that upstream the current was much faster. She had been right! The current had slowed down somehow. She must've washed up on the shore unconscious after her chaotic experience, only for Wolf to find her and fish her out.

"She's alive! She's alive! She's alive!" Wolf cheered, Vulpix jumping up and down in his mutual glee. The young boy quickly pulled Kiara up and hugged her tightly. "She's al—" he paused, his expression suddenly changing to anger but also concern. "You idiot!" he growled before shoving Kiara away from him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, ya happy?" he snapped, his gaze sparking with irritation.

Kiara blinked at him in confusion before smiling warmly. "If it means I'm still alive, then yes," she teased before looking past him and Vulpix, relief washing over her at seeing the baby Pokémon they had been monitoring all huddled together and accounted for. Her eyes widened however when she noticed Magby was still missing. "Magby? Wolf, where's Magby?" she asked swiftly, her anxiety returning in mere seconds.

Just before the young boy could answer her, someone else's voice interrupted their conversation. "Kiara! Wolf!" it was Kangaskhan, staring wide eyed at the scene before her as she quickly rushed over to the two children.

"Oh no…" Kiara and Wolf said in unison, knowing all too well that they had no good explanation for the chaos that had ensued.

"Kiara! Wolf!" she repeated as she neared them, her concern being the only anxiety that she was revealing. Behind her, Happiny, Igglybuff, and Togepi scurried away to join the other baby Pokémon in confusion.

"Hi…" the two children said once again in unison, almost innocently.

"Oh, you scared me!" Kangaskhan gasped as she grabbed Kiara's sides. "What happened?" she demanded swiftly.

"Well, I—" the young girl started until Wolf suddenly shoved himself in between the two and started speaking.

"Well, you see it's sort of a long…It's involved, because you see, what happened…It was a weird—" Wolf stammered for the right words until suddenly he was interrupted by a voice full of rage.

"_What happened?_" It was no surprise to Kiara when she saw Darmanitan standing there. He was dripping wet, and behind his foreleg stood Magby, cowering quietly. Relief flooded over the young girl as she realized that the blazing Pokémon must've come to the rescue and saved the live coal Pokémon. However it only lasted for a few seconds once she saw that he was furious.

As Wolf stood there, too afraid to muster up any words for some sort of explanation, Kiara pushed past the two of them and crouched in front of Darmanitan, who had stomped over to them just moments ago. "It was my fault Darmanitan…" she somewhat lied, taking the blame of Wolf's mishap upon herself.

"Kiara…" Kangaskhan sounded shocked but paused as she continued to listen to the young girl's explanation, turning to face the two.

"We were playing and…well…I'm sorry Darmanitan…" Kiara mumbled sincerely as she gingerly reached out to touch the blazing Pokémon's paw before he swiftly pulled away.

"You almost _killed_ someone!" Darmanitan spat, shoving his face into Kiara's.

"But it was an accident!" Kiara insisted as she quickly backed away into Kangaskhan, hiding slightly behind her forearm.

"She's only a child," Kangaskhan protested gently, bringing the young girl close to her in a gesture of comfort.

"That's no excuse Kangaskhan, you can't keep defending her!" Darmanitan growled at the parent Pokémon in frustration.

"But she'll learn—" she continued in her calm tone, only to be interrupted.

"She will never learn! You can't learn to be one of us!" Darmanitan hissed, getting ever so closer to Kangaskhan's face.

"Because you never give her or Wolf a chance!" Kangaskhan snarled back, her calm composure gone now in her own fury.

"_Give them a chance?_" he echoed. "Kangaskhan, look at them! They will _never_ be one of us!" Darmanitan roared, startling everyone in the surrounding area.

"Darmanitan!" Kangaskhan gasped in shock and anger at the blazing Pokémon's words. Around her, the baby Pokémon had huddled even closer together, having never liked seeing him angry in any situation. Wolf had meanwhile hugged Vulpix close to him, looking utterly hurt, while the fox Pokémon licked his cheek to comfort him.

Kiara however had heard enough, tears welling up in her eyes. Shoving Kangaskhan's forearm out of her way, she ran off, no longer wanting to be around a Pokémon that hated her so much. She heard Kangaskhan calling after her but that didn't stop her from continuing off farther downstream while steering clear away from it as to not fall in. _Why can't he just accept us for who we are like the others?!_

Kiara had run all the way to where the stream filled into a small pool of water. The sun had already sunk beneath the horizon, the stars above slowly revealing themselves one by one. Meanwhile Kiara sat in utter despair, gazing down at her reflection in the pool. Normally, she never minded what she saw, thinking of herself as a decently pretty girl. However, at that moment, she hated it. Sneering, she smashed her hands through the water, causing ripples to form and distort her mirror image. She paused from her rampage as she suddenly saw a different reflection above her own. "Mama?" she whipped around to face the parent Pokémon awkwardly.

"Kiara…What are you doing?" Kangaskhan asked gently, though her eyes looked rather sad.

Kiara hesitated, before her fury suddenly unleashed onto her mother. "Why am I so different?!" she hissed.

"Because you're soaking wet," Kangaskhan rumbled in amusement as she reached down as began to wipe off the water droplets that had scattered onto the young girl when she destroyed her reflection in the pond.

"No, you know what I mean! Darmanitan said Wolf and I didn't belong in the den with you guys!" she snapped, frustrated that the parent Pokémon was playing dumb with her. "I bet if we were Pokémon he would've welcomed us with open arms…" Kiara muttered, not resisting as Kangaskhan dried her off.

"Never mind what Darmanitan said," Kangaskhan said softly as she ran the back of her paw across Kiara's face.

Kiara's fury was growing ever stronger as she growled and pulled away from the parent Pokémon. "Look at me!" she snarled, as if daring her to name all the differences between the two of them.

Kangaskhan paused, staring at Kiara with a leveled head. "I am Kiara. And do you know what I see?" she mumbled as she stepped forward towards the young girl and continued to wipe away the water droplets. "I see…two eyes like mine. And a nose…somewhere," she chuckled as she wiped the water off of Kiara's snout. "Ah! Here!" she exclaimed as she poked it gently with her claw, causing Kiara to giggle. "And two ears..." she laughed as she cupped them in her paws, causing the young girl to snigger some more. "Now, let's see…" she paused, as if searching for something else that they had in common.

Kiara blinked up at her happily before gazing down at her palms. "Two hands?" she asked hopefully as she held them out before the parent Pokémon.

Kangaskhan chuckled. "That's right," she held out her own paws in front of Kiara before placing their palms together.

Kiara stared in comparison at the size and color of their two sets of hands before pulling back hesitantly, her distraught expression returning. She let out a soft sigh of disappointment, knowing that despite her mother's insistence she would probably never forget the differences between them.

Kangaskhan let out a sigh of her own before moving closer to Kiara. "Close your eyes. Now, forget what you see. What do you feel?" she asked as she moved Kiara's hand to her chest once she was sure the young girl had obeyed.

Kiara paused before opening her eyes slowly. "My heart…" she answered in slight confusion.

Kangaskhan nodded. "Now come here," she scooped up the child into her arms before holding her close to her own chest.

"Your heart!" Kiara giggled as she heard the steady beat of her mother's heart inside her chest. Her mood was lightening up yet again as she finally was starting to feel something more beyond what the two looked like on the outside.

"See? We're exactly the same," Kangaskhan whispered with a smile as she embraced the young girl closely, who didn't refuse the loving gesture. She let out a sigh as she patted Kiara's head slowly. "Darmanitan…just can't see that…"

Kiara thought as she was held in the parent Pokémon's arms. An idea popped into her head as her eyes suddenly brightened up. She pulled back from Kangaskhan so she could face her, a broad smile of determination on her face. "Then I'll make him see it!" she promised as she scrambled up onto Kangaskhan's shoulders. "I'll be the best wild Pokémon ever!"

Kangaskhan let out a chuckle and nodded in agreement before pulling the young girl off her shoulders and into her arms, tickling her playfully. "Oh I bet you will," she agreed with a wide smile.

***  
The call of a Pidgey awoke Kiara from her nap inside the branches of a maple tree. She blinked her eyes open to their beautiful red leaves that managed to remain that way even in summer. She had climbed up it earlier with ease, thanks to all the practice she had gained from hanging out with the wild Pansear, Pansage, and Panpour that lived nearby. Apparently a lot of wild Pokémon in the area knew of Kangaskhan even though they didn't live with her, and referred to her as "The Mother of The Forest." Because of this Kiara could venture out rather freely as far from the den as she pleased, given she was back before sundown. She made many new friends with the wild Pokémon around the area, and even if she did encounter any hostile ones, her companions quickly came to her side and protected her.

The young girl let out a yawn, stretching her limbs delicately as she balanced on the thick branch, trying not slip off. She was wearing a new outfit Kangaskhan had picked out for her, consisting of a white dress shirt, white knee-socks, black school shoes, and a purple school girl skirt and tie to compliment her eyes.

"There's a factory about a mile west of here that makes clothes. Whatever doesn't sell, they just burn anyways, so I figured they won't mind if I take these brand new items off their hands," Kangaskhan had said when Kiara and Wolf had asked where she had gotten all the lovely clothing they received from her.

Of course there was one more item Kiara couldn't forget. She reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out a white lace handkerchief. Along the bottom was her name sewn in. Her mother had never told her how she found this, claiming it was just "luck." She had received it a few weeks ago from Kangaskhan as a gift, celebrating the four year anniversary since she and Wolf had moved in with the parent Pokémon.

_Four years…_ Kiara echoed in her mind. Four full seasons had passed since she had left the orphanage with Wolf. Together with her new family she had watched the leaves turn red, orange and yellow in autumn, endured the cold nights of winter, and watched as the forest regained its beauty in spring until once again they were back in summer, when the forest flourished the most. During all this time, Kiara fought to prove how she and Wolf deserved every right to be here, and even though he never said it, she knew she had convinced Darmanitan of that. After all, she could now climb trees, swim strongly, and harvest proper foods for the long winter. She had made sure she was not just a paper weight that sat around and received but never provided. She would help Kangaskhan whenever she could, and when there was nothing that needed to be done, she was making sure that even when she played she was sharpening her skills. Rising to her feet, the now nine year old girl balanced on her branch and peered through the leaves to peek into the scenery in the clearing.

The first thing she saw was her best friend Wolf. He had certainly grown over the years as well, no longer being a mere few inches taller than his companion Vulpix. For his gift celebrating the four year anniversary, Kangaskhan had mysteriously managed to acquire enough money—Yes, real money—to allow the boy to head off to a salon in Morningdew City and get a haircut, which Kiara knew he had needed. His hair had grown into a wild mess despite bathing every day, except in winter, where they bathed every two days because it was a long process to get water and heat it up. Once he had returned from his haircut with Vulpix, though it was still longish, his hair was much neater. He and the fox Pokémon had become inseparable after only the first year, which was no surprise to Kiara. After the men had long gone, they had already started off with a close bond, which had only gotten stronger over time. Kiara sighed to herself as she watched them play in the clearing by the den's entrance from her branch. She wondered if she would ever have that kind of bond with a Pokémon. Sure, she had many Pokémon friends, but the bond Wolf and Vulpix had was much more than normal friendship. It was just as strong as her bond with the boy, and even though she was happy for Wolf, she secretly wanted that bond herself one day.

Kiara pulled back, deciding it was time to get out of the maple tree and see if Kangaskhan needed help with anything. If not, she wanted to go down by the stream with Wolf and Vulpix, even though she didn't plan on getting wet considering her clothes, because just being by the brook always seemed to be much more cooler than anywhere else. Skillfully, she climbed down from the branches of the maple tree and onto the ground without tearing her clothes or getting a scratch on her.

The girl immediately spotted Kangaskhan, who was sitting just outside the den's entrance, showing some of the new baby Pokémon how to sort out berries. Memories flashed in her mind of when her mother had shown her the same thing her first week living with her. Her eyes scanned over the new baby Pokémon. They were relatively the same species of Pokémon that she had grown close to, however, the original ones had evolved and moved out of Kangaskhan's den around two years ago. Kiara had been rather surprised that they would just leave like that, but the parent Pokémon had simply explained that it was nothing new to her.

"Babies don't stay babies forever. Eventually they grow up and become adults and move on with their lives. I know very well that they're grateful that I took care of them for so long, but if every single one of them lived with me forever, I wouldn't even be able to enter my own den!" Kangaskhan had told her in amusement.

This had caused Kiara to wonder what would happen once she became an adult. Would she want to move out as well? How different will her life be once she hits that age marker? Of course she didn't dwell on the thought too long. After all, there were still many years ahead of her before she would become a grown-up. Pokémon did have faster growth rates than humans, so she had nothing to worry about for right now as long as Kangaskhan was here.

Strolling over to the parent Pokémon, Kiara maneuvered around the baby Pokémon that were crowded around her. "Need help Mama?" she asked, blinking her violet eyes up at her, though the height different was smaller now that Kiara had grown a bit.

Kangaskhan paused from her lesson to face her. "No, not at this moment," she answered. "You can go off and do as you please. Do be careful though. Darmanitan said that the other day he saw some strange people around the area," she warned, glancing at the blazing Pokémon who was snoozing by the den's outer wall.

Kiara nodded slowly. "Yes, Mama," with a quick wave the girl scampered away towards Wolf and Vulpix, who were sharing a bowl of fruit for lunch. "Hey guys. Wanna come to the stream with me?" she asked hopefully with the tilt of her head.

Wolf turned his head to face her, swallowing his fill. "Sure," he answered, Vulpix grunting in agreement. Quickly the two finished off their remaining berries before setting the bowl aside. "We'll take it inside once we get back," the boy decided as he got to his feet.

"Alrighty!" Kiara smiled before turning away. "Race you there!" she challenged before sprinting off. She swiftly exited the clearing and veered off towards the stream, laughing as Wolf charged behind her.

"Hey, don't go charging into things today! You know what Mama said about those strange people Darmanitan saw. We can't be too risky," Wolf protested as he suddenly halted from his running, panting a bit and also allowing the fox Pokémon to catch up with him.

Kiara also abruptly halted, surprised to hear Wolf sound so concerned about what Darmanitan had spotted. She turned around and walked back towards him. "Honestly, stop being such a worry wart Wolfie! He probably just spotted some trainers who got lost or something. Nothing bad has happened to us for years. Why would it now?" she asked with a tilt of her head. Suddenly, as if on cue, a loud rumbling sound roared high above them. Startled, Kiara looked up to find a helicopter. This was nothing new to her; they always flew by during the day, along with airplanes. However, this one was particularly closer than any of the others had been. Her eyes following it as it moved along, Kiara's eyes widened as she realized it was headed in the same direction as the den. "Mama!" she wailed, suddenly wondering if Wolf had been right to worry. She made no hesitation in sprinting back towards the clearing, her best friend right on her heels.

Just as the girl was about to burst into the clearing upon hearing rather aggressive noises, Wolf grabbed the collar of her shirt and held her back. "Wait a second! And keep your voice down," he said in a hushed tone, beckoning her over to a gap in the undergrowth where they could see the clearing without being seen themselves.

Kiara's eyes widened at the scene before her as she peered through the undergrowth. Kangaskhan was tussling with a Rhydon while Darmanitan was fighting off a Golem. Though the two were using Superpower and Brick Break, both super-effective moves, the two rock-ground types were still strong. The baby Pokémon were nowhere to be seen, as if they had suddenly cowered somewhere in the chaos. Kiara drew her gaze upwards, spotting the copter just above. Inside, she spotted people in suits. Her eyes widened as she recognized the man who had tried to sell Vulpix. He had returned for revenge!

Behind her, she heard Vulpix's growl and knew the fox Pokémon recognized him as well. Wolf was oddly silent, but as she glanced back at him, she saw a glare apparent on his face, knowing that he too had not forgotten his old enemy. A sudden clang brought Kiara's attention back to the chaos in the clearing.

Her eyes widened even more as she suddenly saw Darmanitan and Kangaskhan in cages. She nearly threw herself out into the open until she was held back by Wolf. "No! We can't! Who knows what they'll do to us if they spot us!" he grunted. Kiara was obviously displeased with this as she turned her attention back to the clearing.

Two long, metallic tendrils had shot down from the bottom of the helicopter and had grabbed onto the tops of cages. Meanwhile, the Rhydon and Golem vanished in a flash of red light as Kiara looked up to see the man return them into Pokéballs. The tendrils slowly pulled the cages off the ground until they were attached right to the bottom of copter. With that, the flying vehicle took off again, the mingled wails of protest, anguish, and fury carried away as the blazing and parent Pokémon tried to escape from their containment to no avail.

"No!" Kiara yowled as she shoved herself past Wolf, managing to catch a glimpse of the helicopter before it vanished into the clouds above. "No, Mama!" she was sobbing now, as if she couldn't believe any of this had actually happened. No. It couldn't have happened. It was all just a dream. Yes. A dream. She must still be napping up in the maple tree. That was it. She pinched her arm, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. When nothing changed she dug her nails in harder. _Why won't I wake up?!_

"Kiara, stop!" Wolf growled at her, pulling her arms apart before she seriously injured herself. "Calm down, please. Kangaskhan and Darmanitan are tough! They'll get out of there and come back soon, I know it!" he promised, though through her tears Kiara could see how sad and unconvinced he was himself. It didn't take long until he was embracing her tightly, knowing he was comforting himself as well as comforting her.

Kiara sniffled, the weight of the entire situation piercing her heart like a thorn. _We're alone…Mama…Darmanitan…My family…Everything's gone…My life has fallen apart…My life is gone…_


	11. Epilogue

Kiara stared at the empty den before her. She and Wolf had found the baby Pokémon a few days later, having run away far into the forest. Her old pleasant home was now completely deserted. Gazing around, it literally made her ache to be here and made her feel as if there was a lump in her throat. The scattered berry piles, the empty nests, the array of cave drawings that had accumulated over the years…It all hurt too much. She hated it. Was this how Wolf had felt when he had lost his father? It was a terrible feeling and she wished no one would ever have to experience it.

At least he knew exactly what had happened to his father. Kiara was plagued by so many thoughts and questions. Were they still alive? Had the man murdered them in his fury? If not, where did he take them? Would they ever be able to get back on their own? Would they even come back given the opportunity? What if they liked wherever they ended up better than here? Was Kangaskhan wondering what had befallen her den and many children? Was this entire mishap another excuse for Darmanitan to hate humans? All of it made Kiara feel like she was having a migraine.

"Kiara?" the girl flinched upon hearing her name. She slowly turned around to see Wolf and Vulpix standing at the den's entrance. She knew they must be feeling the same grief she was, but somehow it didn't feel like they were sharing the same pain she was. Perhaps Vulpix did, but Wolf had experienced having some kind of a family before. Kangaskhan was the closest thing she had ever had to a family and now it was gone. What if she never got another family? She didn't even know where she was going to go or what she was going to do now. Should she wait for them here? Then again, there was no telling when they'd be back if they ever did return. "Kiara…is there anything we can do?" Wolf asked with a tilt of his head, his gaze sympathetic and sorrowful.

Kiara stared at him for a moment, lost in her whirling thoughts that it took her a minute to process what the boy had said. Finally she let out a sigh, looking at the ground as she shook her head. "No…I just…I need to rest…Somewhere else though. If I sleep here I'll just end up having nightmares…" she murmured, barely loud enough for Wolf to hear as she stumbled through the lichen past him and out the den. She walked for a long time through the forest aimlessly, numbly aware of Wolf and Vulpix following after her. This forest that she had grown to love so much provided her with no relief. Everything felt awful. She wish time would just stop…That she could just sleep forever and remain in a world where Kangaskhan had never been taken away…Then everything would be better. As she found a pile of scattered leaves, she blankly flattened them out before curling up amongst them, shutting her eyes to everything. The world, her friends…she didn't want to think about any of it right now. All she wanted to do was just sleep, and hopefully forget the whole thing had ever happened…


End file.
